MASON MARKS ONE YEAR SINCE GLASGOW EAST VICTORY

MASON MARKS ONE YEAR SINCE GLASGOW EAST VICTORY

LABOUR LAMBASTED BY ANNIVERSARY MP

SNP activists took a brief break from campaigning in Glasgow North East today (Saturday) to celebrate the first anniversary of John Mason’s stunning by-election win in Glasgow East.

Mr Mason was joined by SNP Glasgow North East candidate David Kerr and party activists to mark the victory that saw the SNP seize Glasgow East with a 22.5 per cent swing from Labour in a by-election that shook Westminster.

One year on, SNP by-election victor John Mason MP rounded on Labour for refusing voters in Glasgow North East the chance to elect a new MP until November.

Glasgow North East has been without an MP since former Speaker Michael Martin stood down on 21 June. An attempt by the SNP to move the by-election Writ on the last day before the parliamentary recess was defeated when Labour voted against an early poll. Voters in Norwich went to the polls just 48 days after their former Labour MP resigned – while voters in Glasgow are set to wait 144 days before they can elect a new MP.

Mr Mason said:

“When voters in Glasgow East elected me last year they sent a message to Gordon Brown that is clearly still echoing around Downing Street – why else has Labour kicked the Glasgow North East by-election into the bleak mid-winter?

“The work I have been doing for local constituents over the last twelve months underlines for me the outrageousness of Labour’s decision to leave people in Glasgow North East without an MP for six months.

“Labour are guilty of the most astonishing arrogance in denying people in Glasgow the chance of an MP on their side at a time when the local community faces serious challenges because of Labour's recession. Issues such as threatened job losses at Port Dundas distillery or school closures by the local Labour council.

"Labour have learnt nothing since their defeat this time last year as the recent vote on Brown's 10p tax showed. They are still taking the support of people in Glasgow for granted.

“Labour had the chance to set an early date for the election last week, but the party objected and voted against giving people in Glasgow their say.

“People in Scotland know that it is the SNP who have delivered real benefits for them and their family and are helping them out in the hard times by freezing the council tax, delivering a record number of police officers, restoring free education, reducing business rates, and abolishing prescription charges.

“In contrast Labour are putting Gordon Brown’s interests before the needs of people in Glasgow and people will see that for what it is.”

Mr Kerr added:

“John Mason has been committed to serving this constituency since day one, and everyone in Glasgow East knows somebody that he has helped.

“In a year, he has dealt with more than one thousand constituency cases, held upwards of 100 constituency surgeries and established a real presence on Shettleston Road with his full-time constituency office. This is exactly the kind of representation and support the people of Glasgow North East deserve – but as Labour put politics before people – will be denied this for months to come.”