2009 Glasgow North East by-election

2009 Glasgow North East by-election

12 November 2009
Turnout33.2%
 
SNP
Candidate Willie Bain David Kerr Ruth Davidson
Party Labour SNP Conservative
Popular vote 12,231 4,120 1,075
Percentage 59.4% 20.0% 5.2%

MP before election

Michael Martin
Speaker

Subsequent MP

Willie Bain
Labour

A by-election for the United Kingdom parliamentary constituency of Glasgow North East was held on 12 November 2009, following the resignation of incumbent member of Parliament (MP) Michael Martin both as an MP and as Speaker of the House of Commons following the MPs' expenses scandal. It was won by Willie Bain of the Labour Party with 59% of the vote.

It is general convention that mainstream political parties do not contest elections against sitting Speakers of the House of Commons. As such, Martin won the seat without his former Labour Party label since he was elected Speaker in 2000 and neither the Conservative nor Liberal Democrat parties had fought the constituency—or its predecessor, Glasgow Springburn—in either 2001 or 2005.

Just 33% of the electorate voted, which is the lowest ever percentage turnout in a Scottish by-election to the House of Commons. This was the last by-election of the 2005–2010 parliament.