SNP BID TO BRING FORWARD BY-ELECTION DATE

SNP BID TO BRING FORWARD BY-ELECTION DATE

LABOUR "OBJECT" TO DATE BEING SET FOR GLASGOW POLL

SNP Westminster Chief Whip Stewart Hosie has this afternoon (Tuesday)
moved a motion which would mandate the House of Commons Speaker to set a
date for the Glasgow North East by-election.

The motion was objected to by the Labour Chief Whip and will now be
subject to a short debate and vote this afternoon after 15h30.

Glasgow North East has been without an MP since former Speaker Michael
Martin stood down on 21st June. By convention, the writ would be moved by
the Labour party, but the party has made no attempt to set a date despite
today being the last business day before recess. In contrast, voters in
Norwich go the polls this Thursday to elect a new MP just 48 days after
the former Labour MP resigned.

Commenting, SNP Chief Whip Stewart Hosie MP said:

“It is now over two months since Michael Martin announced he was standing
down and one month since he stepped down yet Labour have refused to move
the writ.

“By waiting until after the recess, the earliest possible date on which a
by-election could now be held is in November – by which time people in
Glasgow will have been without an MP for almost six months.

“There is no rhyme or reason as to why Labour are denying the people of
Glasgow their say. The Labour MP for Norwich resigned on 5th June 2009 and
the by-election will be held this Thursday – why should people in Glasgow
be denied the representation they need and deserve?

"In objecting to the motion to move the writ, the Labour Party are running
roughshod over the people of Glasgow North East. This is a spectacular own
goal by Labour - denying the people of Glasgow the same democratic
opportunity the people of Norwich will have in less than two days."