IT IS easy to see why the Glasgow East by-election has dominated politics this month. A test of his popularity was the last thing Gordon Brown needed right now. For its part, the SNP knew it had nothing to lose: win this safe Labour seat and proclaim a revolution; lose it and point to the inevitable swing away from the Government as proof that Brown will soon be out of office.
But, in truth, the by-election has been just a distraction. Despite Brown's travails and the sometimes cack-handed local campaign, Labour remains odds-on with the rarely wrong bookies to retain the seat. If they do, any aftershocks will be few and sm
all – the occasional jibe at Margaret 'Two Jobs' Curran, and perhaps some resentment at the way some have portrayed Glasgow East as some kind of wasteland. Even if Labour does lose, those who think that would convince Brown to step down as Prime Minister clearly do not understand how thrawn that Fifer can be.
Whatever the result, Thursday's vote must herald the return to more important business. First, Labour's Holyrood leadership election should finally start in earnest, and it will eventually produce Alex Salmond's next challenger/victim. As we've said before, Brown must stay out of that particular fight.
Besides, the Prime Minister should have his hands full with his own, more pressing, battle – the need to give the UK some much needed-direction in difficult times. Never mind events in Easterhouse, if he loses that battle he definitely will soon lose his job.
The full article contains 262 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
