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| Labour victorious in Glenrothes | Labour victorious in Glenrothes |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Labour has won the Glenrothes by-election, comfortably holding off a challenge from the SNP. | Labour has won the Glenrothes by-election, comfortably holding off a challenge from the SNP. |
| Lindsay Roy was elected the new MP with a majority of 6,737 over the SNP's Peter Grant. | Lindsay Roy was elected the new MP with a majority of 6,737 over the SNP's Peter Grant. |
| The Tories came third with 1,381 votes while the Lib Dems, who polled 947 votes, were squeezed to fourth. | The Tories came third with 1,381 votes while the Lib Dems, who polled 947 votes, were squeezed to fourth. |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown said victory in the Fife seat was a vote of confidence in the government's handling of the economic crisis. | Prime Minister Gordon Brown said victory in the Fife seat was a vote of confidence in the government's handling of the economic crisis. |
| The by-election was held after the death of sitting Labour MP John MacDougall. | The by-election was held after the death of sitting Labour MP John MacDougall. |
| The constituency borders the Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath seat held by Mr Brown, who visited Glenrothes several times during the by-election campaign. | |
| The new MP for Glenrothes praised Mr Brown. | |
| Mr Roy, 59, who will quit as the rector of Kirkcaldy High School to take up his Westminster seat, said: "With Gordon Brown, Britain is strong. With Gordon Brown, Labour has won here in Glenrothes and central Fife." | |
| ELECTION RESULTS Results in fullLindsay Roy, Labour: 19,946 Peter Grant, SNP: 13,209 Maurice Golden, Cons: 1,381 Harry Wills, Lib Dem: 947 Jim Parker, SSCUP: 296 Morag Balfour, SSP: 212 Kris Seunarine, UKIP: 117 Louise McLeary, Solidarity: 87 Labour majority: 6,737Turnout: 52.34% | ELECTION RESULTS Results in fullLindsay Roy, Labour: 19,946 Peter Grant, SNP: 13,209 Maurice Golden, Cons: 1,381 Harry Wills, Lib Dem: 947 Jim Parker, SSCUP: 296 Morag Balfour, SSP: 212 Kris Seunarine, UKIP: 117 Louise McLeary, Solidarity: 87 Labour majority: 6,737Turnout: 52.34% |
| Mr Grant, the leader of Fife Council, failed to repeat the Nationalists' success in the Glasgow East by-election in July, where his party won what was then one of Labour's safest seats. | |
| He said: "We have seen the SNP vote in this constituency increase by almost 50% on what it was a few years ago." | He said: "We have seen the SNP vote in this constituency increase by almost 50% on what it was a few years ago." |
| Mr Grant stood by controversial home care charge increases brought in by his council, a big campaign issue. | Mr Grant stood by controversial home care charge increases brought in by his council, a big campaign issue. |
| The constituency borders the Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath seat held by Mr Brown, who visited Glenrothes several times during the by-election campaign. | The constituency borders the Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath seat held by Mr Brown, who visited Glenrothes several times during the by-election campaign. |
| Despite Labour's majority in Glenrothes in the 2005 UK election being cut from 10,664, the party pulled through to win with 19,946 votes to the SNP's 13,209. | Despite Labour's majority in Glenrothes in the 2005 UK election being cut from 10,664, the party pulled through to win with 19,946 votes to the SNP's 13,209. |
| The new MP for Glenrothes praised Mr Brown. | The new MP for Glenrothes praised Mr Brown. |
| Mr Roy, 59, who will quit as the rector of Kirkcaldy High School to take up his seat, said: "With Gordon Brown, Britain is strong. With Gordon Brown, Labour has won here in Glenrothes and central Fife." | Mr Roy, 59, who will quit as the rector of Kirkcaldy High School to take up his seat, said: "With Gordon Brown, Britain is strong. With Gordon Brown, Labour has won here in Glenrothes and central Fife." |
| The prime minister said: "What I have learned from this by-election is that people are prepared to support governments that will help people through the downturn and offer real help to people. Gordon Brown is a born and bred Fifer Nick RobinsonBBC political editor Nick Robinson: Brown bounceRead Brian Taylor's blogBrown hails 'vote of confidence'Has the SNP bubble burst?In pictures: Glenrothes by-electionAnalysis: Tale of the unexpected | The prime minister said: "What I have learned from this by-election is that people are prepared to support governments that will help people through the downturn and offer real help to people. Gordon Brown is a born and bred Fifer Nick RobinsonBBC political editor Nick Robinson: Brown bounceRead Brian Taylor's blogBrown hails 'vote of confidence'Has the SNP bubble burst?In pictures: Glenrothes by-electionAnalysis: Tale of the unexpected |
| "They are less willing to support people who have no idea about how to solve the problems we have got." | "They are less willing to support people who have no idea about how to solve the problems we have got." |
| The Labour win came after the Bank of England's decision on Thursday to cut interest rates by 1.5%, an announcement which came as the polls in Glenrothes were open. | The Labour win came after the Bank of England's decision on Thursday to cut interest rates by 1.5%, an announcement which came as the polls in Glenrothes were open. |
| Mr Grant, the leader of Fife Council, failed to repeat the Nationalists' success in the Glasgow East by-election in July, where his party won what was then one of Labour's safest seats. | Mr Grant, the leader of Fife Council, failed to repeat the Nationalists' success in the Glasgow East by-election in July, where his party won what was then one of Labour's safest seats. |
| BBC Scotland political correspondent Brian Taylor said: "Labour attacked the Nationalists day and daily over claims that the SNP-led administration in Fife Council had cut home care services for the most vulnerable. | BBC Scotland political correspondent Brian Taylor said: "Labour attacked the Nationalists day and daily over claims that the SNP-led administration in Fife Council had cut home care services for the most vulnerable. |
| HAVE YOUR SAYFor once it isn't labour spin but the truth to call this a good victoryA Brown, EdinburghSend us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAYFor once it isn't labour spin but the truth to call this a good victoryA Brown, EdinburghSend us your comments |
| "In vain did the SNP protest that this was driven by externally imposed exigencies, that they were doing nothing different from several other councils (including Labour ones) and that they had increased the budget in key areas of expenditure." | "In vain did the SNP protest that this was driven by externally imposed exigencies, that they were doing nothing different from several other councils (including Labour ones) and that they had increased the budget in key areas of expenditure." |
| Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon conceded that the result was a "very disappointing" one for the SNP. | Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon conceded that the result was a "very disappointing" one for the SNP. |
| She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We ran a very good campaign, we fought hard and had an excellent candidate, and we are very disappointed not to have won the seat." | She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We ran a very good campaign, we fought hard and had an excellent candidate, and we are very disappointed not to have won the seat." |
| FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme | FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme |
| Ms Sturgeon dismissed any suggestion the SNP had taken victory in the seat for granted, and accused Labour of running a "relentlessly negative" by-election campaign that focused on a single local issue, home care charges. | Ms Sturgeon dismissed any suggestion the SNP had taken victory in the seat for granted, and accused Labour of running a "relentlessly negative" by-election campaign that focused on a single local issue, home care charges. |
| Meanwhile, both the Tory candidate Maurice Golden and Liberal Democrat candidate Harry Wills lost their deposits. | Meanwhile, both the Tory candidate Maurice Golden and Liberal Democrat candidate Harry Wills lost their deposits. |
| "This was a victory for Lindsay Roy, not for Gordon Brown," said Mr Golden, adding: "The Alex Salmond bubble has well and truly burst." | "This was a victory for Lindsay Roy, not for Gordon Brown," said Mr Golden, adding: "The Alex Salmond bubble has well and truly burst." |
| Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Tavish Scott said: "Alex Salmond predicted the SNP would win - he got it spectacularly wrong. | Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Tavish Scott said: "Alex Salmond predicted the SNP would win - he got it spectacularly wrong. |
| "Scottish politics has changed - the honeymoon is over." | "Scottish politics has changed - the honeymoon is over." |
| A total of eight candidates contested Glenrothes, in which 36,219 constituents out of a possible 69,155 turned out to vote - 52.3%, compared with 56.1% in the 2005 General Election. | A total of eight candidates contested Glenrothes, in which 36,219 constituents out of a possible 69,155 turned out to vote - 52.3%, compared with 56.1% in the 2005 General Election. |