Candidates and Constituency Assessments

'I was prominent in the Labour Party when Tony Blair was just an ugly rumour.' Independent Labour MP, George Galloway, 23 rd October 2003. (Tony Blair's student band was called Ugly Rumours.)

Glasgow Central

Candidates

	Osama Saeed
	Scottish National Party
	Osama Saeed is one of Scotland's foremost peace activists and human rights campaigners. Osama has been listed as one of Scotland's Top 100 thinkers and opinion formers by the Scotsman newspaper, one of the country's "Brightest and Best" by the Sunday Herald, and has been described as Scotland's most influential Muslim by the Sunday Times. He is a prominent media commentator and has appeared on BBC, SKY, CNN, Al-Jazeera and others. He has had articles published in the Guardian, Sunday Herald, Daily Mail and Scotsman newspapers. After the Glasgow Airport terrorist attack in 2007, he organised what is considered the first ever Muslim organised demonstration against Al-Qaeda terrorism anywhere in the world. He played a central role in the movement against the Iraq war, and spoke at the historic demonstration of February 15th 2003. He is an alumnus of the US State Department's International Visitor Leadership Program, and is currently CEO of an NGO. Osama was born in Glasgow's Yorkhill Hospital and was brought up in the city. He wishes to put his talents and experience to serving the people of Glasgow Central as their MP at the next General Election. Osama is married with two children Recent electoral experience 2005 Westminster election, East Renfrewshire, 3,245 votes (6.85 %)
	Anas Sarwar
	Labour
	Anas Sarwar is 23 years old and is the fourth child of Mohammad Sarwar, Labour MP for Glasgow Central. He was educated at the posh fee-paying Hutchesons' Grammar school. He recently graduated from university and now works as a dentist. He is married to Furheen. Soon after the London bombings he set up the Scottish Muslim Network with friends in order to encourage young Muslims to become more politically involved. Anas Sarwar was believed to be a prime future Labour candidate for the Scottish Parliament seat of Glasgow Govan seat where the controversial QC Gordon Jackson had been in trouble for continuing his legal career despite being the MSP for Govan since 1999. However the Scottish National Party's Nicola Sturgeon won Govan in May 2007 and Sawrar Junior was selected to succeed his father in Glasgow Central. Recent electoral experience 2007 Scottish parliament election, First on Labour Glasgow list, 78,738 votes (38.16 %)
	Who?
	Conservative & Unionist
	Recent electoral experience.
	Who?
	Liberal Democrat
	Recent electoral experience

Notional 2001 result

Logo	Party	Denver			Baxter
		Votes	%		Votes	%
	Labour	15,179	54.71 %		15,937	54.05 %
	Scottish National Party	5,797	20.89 %		6,130	20.79 %
	Liberal Democrat	2,655	9.57 %		2,918	9.90 %
	Scottish Socialist Party	1,814	6.54 %		1,959	6.64 %
	Conservative & Unionist	1,707	6.15 %		1,911	6.48 %
	Others	592	2.13 %		631	2.15 %
Notional Labour win	Notional Labour majority	9,382	33.82 %		9,807	33.26 %

Links

• Osama Saeed - Standing up for Glasgow (Scottish National Party)