 | 'Tory candidate Davena Rankin won nearly 500 fewer votes than the party received at the 2005 General Election, cutting one percentage point off its previous poor 7% share.' Douglas Fraser, Scottish Political Editor in the Herald, 23 rd July 2008. |  |
| 'Tory candidate Davena Rankin won nearly 500 fewer votes than the party received at the 2005 General Election, cutting one percentage point off its previous poor 7% share.' Douglas Fraser, Scottish Political Editor in the Herald, 23 rd July 2008. | |
David Cameron moved swiftly yesterday to seize the news initiative with a headline-grabbing call for a General Election in the wake of Labour's Glasgow East humiliation.
It was one way of deflecting attention from a result that does the Tory leader no favours.
In May, with his poll position soaring, the Cameron bounce delivered an important breakthrough in the north of England, with a 17% swing in Crewe and Nantwich showing his appeal could reach north of the Trent.
However, it would be useful to show the bounce can reach north of the Tweed, and it is essential to show the tide is running not only against Labour but for the Tories.
The Glasgow East result suggests the opposite, where a protest vote worked in the Nationalists' favour and squeezed the Conservatives.
Tory candidate Davena Rankin won nearly 500 fewer votes than the party received at the 2005 General Election, cutting one percentage point off its previous poor 7% share.
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