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Voters go to polls in Glenrothes Labour victorious in Glenrothes
(about 18 hours later)
Voters are going to the polls in Glenrothes to choose a new MP. The Labour Party has held onto its Westminster seat in the Glenrothes by-election, but on a reduced majority.
Labour is defending a majority of 10,664 in the Fife constituency which was made vacant by the death of John MacDougall in August. They pulled through to win, with 19,946 votes to the SNP's 13,209, with a swing of almost 5% to the Nationalists.
The polls opened at 0700 GMT and will close at 2200 GMT. The result should be known by the early hours of Friday. The by-election in the Fife constituency was held after the death of sitting Labour MP John MacDougall.
The turnout at the last election in 2005 was 56.1%. The seat borders Prime Minister Gordon Brown's Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath constituency. The Tories came third with 1,381 votes, followed by the Lib Dems. The turnout was 52.37%, compared with 56.1% in the 2005 General Election.
Although the parliamentary constituency is called Glenrothes it includes a number of other towns and villages stretching from Auchterderran and Cardenden in the west, to parts of Leven in the east. A good night for Labour. A poor one for the SNP Brian TaylorBBC Scotland political editor class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/briantaylor/2008/11/informed_gossip.html">Read Brian Taylor's blog class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/7714670.stm">By-election result in full class="" href="/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/7714586.stm">In quotes: Glenrothes reaction class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7714553.stm">In pictures: Glenrothes by-election Labour, which had a majority of 10,664 in 2005, held Glenrothes, which borders Prime Minister Gordon Brown's Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath seat, with a decreased majority of 6,737.
The constituency population was estimated at 88,351 in 2006. Labour's successful candidate, 59-year-old Lindsay Roy, paid tribute to the prime minister.
There are 49 polling places in the constituency and 95 boxes have to be counted. The Kirkcaldy High School rector added: "I pledge my support to the leader of this country.
GLENROTHES CANDIDATES Morag Balfour, Scottish SocialistsMaurice Golden, ConservativePeter Grant, SNPLindsay Roy, LabourKris Seunarine, UKIPHarry Wills, Liberal DemocratsLouise McLeary, SolidarityJim Parker, Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party Labour won the seat in 2005 with 19,395 votes, followed by the Scottish National Party on 8,731, the Liberal Democrats on 4,728 and the Conservatives on 2,651. "Someone who has worked very hard on behalf of all of us, not just in Fife, but in Scotland and the UK during these volatile economic times."
Labour selected Lindsay Roy, the 59-year-old rector of Kirkcaldy High School, as its by-election candidate. SNP candidate Peter Grant, who failed to repeat the Nationalists' success in the Glasgow East by-election, which his party won from Labour in July, said: "We have seen the SNP vote in this constituency increase by almost 50% on what it was a few years ago."
Peter Grant, leader of Fife Council, was nominated to contest the seat for the Scottish National Party. class="lp" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/default.stm">HAVE YOUR SAYFor once it isn't labour spin but the truth to call this a good victoryA Brown, Edinburgh class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=5612&edition=1&ttl=20081107015343">Send us your comments
The Conservatives chose 28-year-old Maurice Golden, an environmental campaign manager for Keep Scotland Beautiful, while businessman Harry Wills is the candidate for the Liberal Democrats. Mr Grant, the leader of Fife Council, added: "That is a magnificent result by any standards, without taking anything away from the achievement Labour have managed."
A total of eight candidates are contesting the Westminster seat. A total of eight candidates contested Glenrothes, in which 36,219 constituents out of a possible 69,155 turned out to vote.
Labour won Glenrothes in 2005 with 19,395 votes, followed by the Scottish National Party on 8,731, the Liberal Democrats on 4,728 and the Conservatives on 2,651.