The Glenrothes By-election 2008

Labour has acknowledged it faces a tough fight to hold on to the seat in central Fife, despite its 10,664 vote majority over the SNP at the 2005 election.' Douglas Fraser, Scottish Political Editor in the Herald, 2 nd September 2008.

Labour picks headmaster to fight Glenrothes by-election

By Douglas Fraser, Scottish Political Editor in the Herald 2 nd September 2008

Labour last night selected Lindsay Roy, the Kirkcaldy High School rector, as its candidate to fight the Glenrothes by-election, caused by the death of John MacDougall earlier this month.

In a constituency party contest in Auchmuty High School last night, the 59-year-old head teacher of the former school of the prime minister, Gordon Brown, beat Colin Davidson, 49, a teacher at Bell-Baxter School in Cupar and Kezia Dugdale, 27, a Holyrood parliamentary researcher who works for Lord George Foulkes.

They had been short-listed by the party's National Executive Council after those on the long list were interviewed on Sunday.

Mr Roy became rector at Kirkcaldy this year, having been head teacher at Inverkeithing High School for 18 years. Previously, he was deputy head at Glenwood High in Glenrothes. He lives in Glenrothes and is a church elder at the new town's St Columba's kirk.

The school link to Mr Brown is being seen by the party's opponents as evidence he is closely involved in the campaign, but behind the scenes so that he is not too closely associated with the high risk of defeat. They are particularly keen to damage Labour's standing in a constituency bordering that of the Mr Brown's, and challenging him to visit Glenrothes to take a high-profile role in the campaign.

Labour has acknowledged it faces a tough fight to hold on to the seat in central Fife, despite its 10,664 vote majority over the SNP at the 2005 election.

There is a strong expectation the SNP could gain the seat, after Tricia Marwick won its Holyrood equivalent from Labour at last year's election.

The SNP has chosen Fife Council leader Peter Grant, the Tories have selected Maurice Golden and the LibDems have selected Harry Wills.