In an exclusive pre-election poll carried out in January by the Local News, in Govan, Labour has a clear majority of two to one against the Scottish National Party.

The constituency is a knife-edge one for the Scottish Parliament. The Scottish National Party believes they need only 618 votes to claim it for themselves. The Labour Party’s incumbent MSP, Gordon Jackson QC, won in 2003 with 7834 votes – 1235 more than Nicola Sturgeon of the SNP. He has been severely criticised for holding down his elected post at the Scottish Parliament while running a lucrative career as an advocate.

Of 80 people interviewed by the LOCAL NEWS in the heartland of the constituency, 49 said they would be voting for Labour, while 25 said they would vote for SNP. There were three Scottish Socialist Party voters and one each for the Green Party, the Conservative Party and one undecided.

As one 21-year-old student and a Labour voter said, ‘I am pleased with what Labour has done and I am keeping my parents’ tradition of voting for Labour.’

Many local people said they were ‘sick of politicians’ lies’ and felt elected members were  ‘untrustworthy’ and that ‘voting won’t make a difference’.

One retired woman who has been a life long Labour voter is now undecided about whether to vote for Labour or SNP.

A 31 year old unemployed man said, ‘I have always been a Labour supporter. However, I have become disenchanted with their failure to deliver on any of their promises and with the fact that Tony Blair has taken us into an illegal war. This is why I will be voting for SNP in this election.’