Labour to lose by-election

I bet Labour are not looking forward to this by-election one little bit:

Friends and family of John MacDougall will be mourning his loss after a two year struggle against asbestos-related lung cancer.

Among them is Gordon Brown – a Parliamentary neighbour who had known him for three decades and who visited him in hospital this week. So it will be all the more galling that political calculation will, sooner or later, have to intrude on personal tragedy. Following Mr MacDougall’s funeral, Labour strategists will have to decide when to call a by-election to elect a new MP. Early indications from Labour sources is that the by-election will not be called before October.

Note that the SNP overturned a bigger Labour majority in Glasgow East just under a month ago.