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| Brown hails 'vote of confidence' | Brown hails 'vote of confidence' |
| (11 minutes later) | |
| The prime minister has hailed Labour's Glenrothes by-election victory as a vote of confidence in the government's handling of the economic crisis. | The prime minister has hailed Labour's Glenrothes by-election victory as a vote of confidence in the government's handling of the economic crisis. |
| Speaking to reporters in Downing Street, Gordon Brown said the result proved people were prepared to support governments who offer them "real help." | Speaking to reporters in Downing Street, Gordon Brown said the result proved people were prepared to support governments who offer them "real help." |
| Labour held the Glenrothes seat with a 6,737 majority over the SNP. | Labour held the Glenrothes seat with a 6,737 majority over the SNP. |
| SNP leader and Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond described Labour's campaign as "scaremongering". | |
| But he said it would teach his party lessons. | |
| 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. | 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 entitled to don an authentic smile this morning Brian TaylorBBC Scotland political editor Read Brian Taylor's blog href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/nickrobinson/">Read Nick Robinson's blog class="" href="/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/7714699.stm">Has the SNP bubble burst? | |
| "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." |
| Although the margin was down a third on that achieved at the 2005 general election, the Glenrothes win was seen as a huge personal boost for Mr Brown. | Although the margin was down a third on that achieved at the 2005 general election, the Glenrothes win was seen as a huge personal boost for Mr Brown. |
| Speaking ahead of his visit to an informal meeting of the European Council in Brussels, the PM said: "I will redouble my efforts to ensure that people come fairly through this downturn and offer real help to people in tough times. | Speaking ahead of his visit to an informal meeting of the European Council in Brussels, the PM said: "I will redouble my efforts to ensure that people come fairly through this downturn and offer real help to people in tough times. |
| "My undivided focus is on mortgage holders who are having difficulties, homeowners worried about their homes, people worried about their jobs, people worried about gas and electricity prices. | "My undivided focus is on mortgage holders who are having difficulties, homeowners worried about their homes, people worried about their jobs, people worried about gas and electricity prices. |
| 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% | |
| "We've got a global recession that I believe we in Britain are dealing with as fairly as we can and will continue to take the measures that will give real help to people in difficult circumstances." | "We've got a global recession that I believe we in Britain are dealing with as fairly as we can and will continue to take the measures that will give real help to people in difficult circumstances." |
| Scotland's deputy first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, conceded on BBC Radio Scotland that the Glenrothes result had been "very disappointing" for the SNP. | Scotland's deputy first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, conceded on BBC Radio Scotland that the Glenrothes result had been "very disappointing" for the SNP. |
| She added: "We substantially cut Labour's majority, our vote went up by 13% since the vote in the last general election and we recorded a 5% swing against Labour so yes it is disappointing because we fight every election to win, but there was substantial progress for the SNP in this seat last night." | She added: "We substantially cut Labour's majority, our vote went up by 13% since the vote in the last general election and we recorded a 5% swing against Labour so yes it is disappointing because we fight every election to win, but there was substantial progress for the SNP in this seat last night." |
| The by-election in the Fife constituency was held after the death of sitting Labour MP John MacDougall. | The by-election in the Fife constituency was held after the death of sitting Labour MP John MacDougall. |
| Lindsay Roy was elected as the new MP with a majority of 6,737 over the SNP's Peter Grant, although the Nationalists increased their vote by almost 4,500 from the last general election. | Lindsay Roy was elected as the new MP with a majority of 6,737 over the SNP's Peter Grant, although the Nationalists increased their vote by almost 4,500 from the last general election. |
| The Tories came third with 1,381 votes, with the Lib Dems fourth after polling 947 votes. | The Tories came third with 1,381 votes, with the Lib Dems fourth after polling 947 votes. |