Glasgow East by-election date set

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A date has been set for the Glasgow East by-election, after the resignation of the sitting MP David Marshall on health grounds.

Voters in the constituency are to go to the polls on 24 July, after Labour's chief whip Geoff Hoon moved the writ for the contest in the Commons.

Mr Marshall held the Westminster seat with a majority of 13,500 over the SNP.

The constituency had the highest Labour vote share in the city at the General Election.

However, the party faces a tough fight after disastrous by-election results at Crewe and Nantwich and Henley, as well as the resignation of Wendy Alexander from the leadership of the Scottish Labour party.

Mr Marshall, 67, is stepping down after almost 30 years in the House of Commons.