 | 'After the SNP's sensational by-election victory in the Westminster seat of Glasgow East in July, Labour fears that none of its Scottish seats are currently safe from the Nationalists - who are ahead in the opinion polls.' Andrew Bolger, Scotland Correspondent in the Financial Times, 6 th October 2008. |  |
Gordon Brown has averted another potentially damaging by-election in Scotland by appointing Jack McConnell, former Labour first minister, as his special envoy to Africa.
Mr McConnell, who was ousted as first minister by the Scottish National Party last year, had been set to go to Malawi next year as British high commissioner. But that would have required a by-election in his Holyrood seat of Motherwell and Wishaw.
However, the Malawi posting has now been put on hold. Mr McConnell will instead work as an unpaid special envoy, drawing up a plan for rebuilding economic capacity in areas blighted by conflict such as Rwanda.
After the SNP's sensational by-election victory in the Westminster seat of Glasgow East in July, Labour fears that none of its Scottish seats are currently safe from the Nationalists - who are ahead in the opinion polls.
The SNP is also favourite to win a by-election that is expected to take place next month for the Westminster seat of Glenrothes, next to the prime minister's own constituency of Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath.
Glasgow East was lost to the SNP on a swing of 22 per cent. Glenrothes, also a formerly safe seat, would fall to the SNP on a swing of 14 per cent, while Motherwell and Wishaw would be lost on a swing of just 12 per cent to the Nationalists.
Alex Salmond, first minister and SNP leader, said the creation of the job was "blatant political manipulation in order to avoid defeat in a by-election".
He added: "It is a sign of how out of touch they are that Labour think they can manipulate the process in this way, but sooner or later people are going to say to Labour, 'Enough is enough'."
Mr McConnell accused his successor as first minister of taking a small-minded approach.
"Having visited Rwanda in the last year and seen the devastation caused by international conflict, I know that it is a serious job to deal with serious issues," he said.
Mr McConnell said he had also received considerable representations from people in Motherwell and Wishaw asking him to stay on as a member of the Holyrood assembly.
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