Rutherglen by-election: A chance for Labour to re-establish its Scottish credentials

Margaret Ferrier's conviction for breaching COVID rules has given Labour the chance to re-establish its credentials in Scotland once again. But it is not enough that Labour wins - the size of victory is of equal importance

Voters drifted back towards the SNP both nationally and locally with Rutherglen reverting back to Margaret Ferrier, its MP until her 2017 defeat.that led first to her suspension from the Commons and then the recall petition that brings us to this reckoning with the electorate.Under scrutiny will be the record of the Scottish government, with its detractors arguing that failures in public health and education are the result of Holyrood's mismanagement, rather than failings at Westminster.

A 26-point SNP lead over Labour at the 2019 general election has evaporated. The five-point swing Labour requires to take this particular seat is half the rate reported by recent polls. To avoid defeat the SNP will hope to elevate the constitutional issue of independence above other distractions. But with the prospect of a second referendum retreating, while disputes within pro-independence camps are growing, this is not going to be an easy campaign defence to manage.

There is pressure too on Labour and it must avoid at all costs the in-party squabbling over policy direction that became a characteristicIts recent experience last month of the contrasts made between

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By-election triggered as former SNP MP Margaret Ferrier loses seat following Covid breachSNP MP Margaret Ferrier has lost her seat in a petition after breaking Covid-19 rules, triggering a by-election for her seat in parliament.
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By-election to be held after COVID rule-breaker MP Margaret Ferrier loses seatMs Ferrier was ruled to have damaged the reputation of the Commons and put people at risk when she took part in a debate at Westminster after travelling by train while suffering from coronavirus in September 2020.
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