Labour declares byelection fightback

Labour moved to recover lost ground yesterday in the Glasgow East byelection when its candidate launched the campaign with a declaration that the "Labour fightback starts right here, right now". Late on Monday night the party selected former health minister Margaret Curran, who, despite her pedigree, was regarded as the fifth choice to fight on July 24. Her current position as the thrice-elected MSP for Glasgow Baillieston made her vulnerable to attacks from opposition parties that she was "two jobs Margaret". Launching her campaign yesterday lunchtime with a speech delivered on top of a wooden box outside a Co-op store, Curran dismissed the criticism of her attempt to be an MP as well as an MSP. "If you want a job done ask a busy woman. If I'm that busy woman, I will do it." She went on to say that she believed the problem... [read full story]