Labour and SNP ‘neck-and-neck’ in Glenrothes
Labour and the Scottish National party (SNP) are neck-and-neck in the Glenrothes by-election, reversing what was seen as a certain victory for the nationalists.
Bookies William Hill are now offering 5/6 for both of the parties.
“This is one of the most spectacular comebacks in political betting history, we could soon be calling Gordon the comeback king,” said Hill’s spokesman Rupert Adams.
Public opinion has shifted noticeably in Labour’s favour since the financial crisis hit the UK, with a steady stream of opinion polls showing an improvement in the party’s performance.
The crisis has also hit the SNP’s credibility, with leader Alex Salmond’s claims that Scotland can form an ‘arc of prosperity’ with Norway, Iceland and Ireland being savagely hit by the economic collapse of most of its potential members.
Labour are also benefiting from the by-election’s location, right next to the prime minister’s Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath constituency.
Mr Brown broke prime ministerial convention to campaign in Glenrothes earlier – something he strenuously refused to do in previous by-elections.
And the prime minister is expected to return to the Fife constituency before the end of the campaign.
His wife, Sarah Brown, has been a prominent figure in the area. She joined Labour candidate Lindsay Roy earlier in the week for a walk around the Kingdom centre area.
The Labour campaign received an extra boost this week when Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United coach, backed the governing party.
In a leaflet delivered to all 40,000 households in the constituency, Sir Alex wrote: “I always tell players entering the game that being a footballer is the best job in the world.
“Yes, it’s hard work to reach the top – but not as hard as bringing up a family or running a household on a tight budget.
“With all that is happening in the global economy, clearly there are some challenging times ahead.”
He added: “But the Labour government under Gordon Brown has handled the situation well, and deserves support at this difficult time.”
