Candidates and Constituency Assessments

'One of the newest MSPs was also one of the dearest. Charles Gordon, who was elected Labour MSP for Glasgow Cathcart last September, billed taxpayers for £3571 for his first quarter in the job, although this included a number of start-up costs, such as a £50 Freeview TV box for his constituency office, and £159 worth of tea and coffee.' Tom Gordon in the Herald, 6 th October 2006.

Glasgow Cathcart (Glasgow Region)

Candidates

	James Dornan (Also number 7 on Glasgow list)
	Scottish National Party
	James joined the SNP in 1996. He was the Organiser and Vice-Convenor of Govan Riverside branch is is currently a member of Glasgow Cathcart branch. He has held many positions both at local and regional level. In 2003 James was the SNP's Scottish Parliamentary Candidate in Ayr Constituency and has also been a local government candidate. He has been a member of the National Organisation Committee for the past two years and is the Community Councillor for the Battlefield ward. James is the father of 2 sons and has 2 grandchildren. He and his family have all been born and lived in the southside of Glasgow. Having previously worked in both the legal and finance sectors James is now employed as Parliamentary Assistant to Stewart Maxwell MSP. Recent electoral experience 2005 Westminster election, Glasgow South West, 4,757 votes (15.36 %) 2003 Scottish Parliament election, Ayr, 4,334 votes (13.72 %) 2003 Scottish Parliament election, Seventh on SNP South of Scotland Scotland list, 48,371 votes (18.37 %) Local council candidate
	Charles Gordon MSP (Not standing on Glasgow list)
	Labour
	Charles Gordon is married with three sons and is a member of the GMB. He attempted to join the pro-devolution Scottish Labour Party in the 1970s but his membership was blocked by Alex Neil. He went on to join the Labour Party and has been a member for 26 years He has been a Trade Unionist for 35 years and is a former President of Glasgow Trades Council. He was elected to Strathclyde Regional Council in 1987 and to Glasgow City Council in 1996, becoming Deputy leader of the Council in 1997 and leader in 1999. One of the harshest critics of Jack McConnell, he was selected as Labour candidate for Catchcart rather than McConnell's favoured candidate, millionaire restaurant entrepreneur Charan Gill. The seat became vacant following the resignation of Lord Watson of Invergowrie who was convicted for wilful fireraising at an Edinburgh hotel. Gordon won the by-election with a 2,405 majority over the SNP, down from 5,112 in 2003. Council positions 1997 -1999 - Deputy Leader of Glasgow City Council 1999 - 2005 - Leader of Glasgow City Council Ministerial positions None Recent electoral experience 2005 Scottish Parliament by-election, Glasgow Cathcart, 5,811 votes (37.69 %) (elected) 2003 Glasgow City Council election, Knightswood Park, 1,613 votes (57.46 %) (elected) 1999 Glasgow City Council election, Knightswood Park, 2,275 votes (63.81 %) (elected) 1995 Glasgow City Council election, Knightswood Park, 1,839 votes (64.84 %) (elected) 1994 Strathclyde Regional Council election, Drumchapel/Blairardie, 3,577 votes (51.91 %) (elected) 1990 Strathclyde Regional Council election, Drumry/Summerhill, 3,146 votes (73.80 %) (elected) 1987 Strathclyde Regional Council by-election (elected)
	Shabnum Mustapha (Also number 7 on Glasgow list)
	Liberal Democrat
	Shabnum was born and brought up in Glasgow and lives in the Southside. She is a graduate of Glasgow University where she achieved a 1st class honours degree in Politics. Shabnum currently works as a Policy and Public Affairs Co-ordinator for a leading international development charity with her work involving a particular country focus on Malawi. She has a strong interest in disability issues having previously worked for The National Autistic Society Scotland and she continues to support their work as a volunteer for their Advocacy for Education Advisory Service. Prior to this, she worked for a think tank - the International Institute for Strategic Studies - and continues to have an interest in foreign and defence policy. Shabnum spends her spare time trying to renovate her new flat, learning to drive and learning Arabic. Recent electoral experience
	Davena Rankin (Also number 2 on Glasgow list)
	Conservative & Unionist
	Davina Rankin was educated at Knightswood Secondary School in Glasgow and the University of Sussex where she graduated with a BSC (Hons) in Medicinal Chemistry. She worked as a Shop Manager for Marie Curie Cancer Care in 1995 then as a Customer Care Advisor for the TSB Bank plc from 1995 to 1996. In 1997 she carried out basic training as a Royal Naval Officer and from 1997 until 1998 she worked with the Student & Placement Entrepreneurial Graduate programme, for Nemquest Ltd at the University of Glasgow. She was a Marketing and Publicity Officer for the IBLS Commercial Liaison Office at the University of Glasgow from 1998 until 2000 and then became Commercial Manager for Research & Commercial Development at Glasgow Caledonian University. Recent electoral experience. 2003 Glasgow City Council election, Kings Park, 355 votes (13.74 %) 2001 Westminster election, Glasgow Kelvin, 2,388 votes, (8.91 %)
	Dr David Smith (Not standing on Glasgow list)
	Independent
	David Smith, aged 63, is a general consultant surgeon with a special interest in breast cancer. He has lived in Cathcart all his life and will retire at the end of April. He is campaigning for better heathcare provision in the south of Glasgow. He said I've been a consultant here for 30 years and I'm very saddened by the way in which the health board in the last few years have decided to strip away the services from people in Cathcart. Only an independent voice will enable the real health needs of the people of Cathcart to be heard." Recent electoral experience.

Constituency profile

Assessment:

This assessment is based on the 2003 election results

Rank on Scottish National Party hit list: 26 (41 in 2003)
Swing required for Scottish National Party gain: 15.70 % from Labour to Scottish National Party

Rank on Conservative hit list: 27 (47 in 2003)
Swing required for Conservative gain: 13.12 % from Labour to Conservative

Rank on Liberal Democrat hit list: 26 (41 in 2003)
Swing required for Liberal Democrat gain: 15.70 % from Labour to Liberal Democrat

Correlation to the new Westminster constituencies

The electorate of 51,799 was split between the new Westminster constituencies of:
Glasgow South: 51,547 (99.5 %) Glasgow South West: 252 (0.5 %)

Local Government wards in the constituency

Previous results

29 th September 2005 By-Election - Constituency result

Electorate . Turnout , 31.97 % (- 13.54 %)
Logo	Party	Candidate	Votes	%	% change
	Labour	Cllr Charles Gordon	5,811	37.69 %	- 1.50 %
	Scottish National Party	Marie Whitehead	3,406	22.09 %	+ 5.82 %
	Conservative & Unionist	Richard Cook	2,306	14.96 %	+ 2.01 %
	Liberal Democrat	Arthur Sanderson	1,557	10.10 %	+ 2.30 %
	Independent	Pat Lally	856	5.55 %	- 5.29 %
	Scottish Socialist Party	Ronnie Stevenson	819	5.31 %	- 7.33 %
	Scottish Green Party	Chloe Stewart	548	3.55 %	(+ 3.55 %)
	Independent	Christopher Creighton	59	0.38 %	(+ 0.38 %)
	UKIP	Bryan McCormack	54	0.35 %	(+ 0.35 %)
	Labour hold	Labour majority	2,405	15.60 %	- 7.32 %

1 st May 2003 Holyrood Election - Constituency result

Electorate 49,017. Turnout 22,307, 45.51 % (- 7.04 %)
Logo	Party	Candidate	Votes	%	% change
	Labour	Lord Watson of Invergowrie MSP	8,742	39.19 %	- 8.87 %
	Scottish National Party	David Ritchie	3,630	16.27 %	- 11.87 %
	Conservative & Unionist	Richard Cook	2,888	12.95 %	+ 0.68 %
	Scottish Socialist Party	Malcolm Wilson	2,819	12.64 %	(+ 12.64 %)
	Local Health Concern New Acute Victoria	Pat Lally	2,419	10.84 %	(+ 10.84 %)
	Liberal Democrat	Tom Henery	1,741	7.80 %	- 0. 31 %
	Parent Excluded	Robert Wilson	68	0.30 %	(+ 0.30 %)
	Labour hold	Labour majority	5,112	22.92 %	+ 3.00 %

1 st May 2003 Holyrood Election - Regional list result

Electorate 49,017. Turnout 22,259, 45.41 % 110 rejected ballot papers
Logo	Party	Votes	%	% change
	Labour	7,672	33.12 %	- 7.74 %
	Scottish National Party	3,433	15.42 %	- 8.99 %
	Scottish Socialist Party	3,369	15.14 %	+ 8.98 %
	Conservative & Unionist Party	2,539	11.41 %	- 0.30 %
	Scottish Green Party	1,830	8.22 %	+ 3.73 %
	Liberal Democrats	1,560	7.01 %	- 0.60 %
	Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party	477	2.14 %	(+ 2.14 %)
	Pro-Life Party	463	2.08 %	+ 0.73 %
	Socialist Labour Party	345	1.55 %	- 0.48 %
	British National Party	230	1.03 %	(+ 1.03 %)
	Scottish Unionist Party	212	0.95 %	+ 0.33 %
	UK Independence Party	61	0.27 %	(+ 0.27 %)
	Scottish Peoples Alliance	38	0.17 %	(+ 0.17 %)
	Communist Party Peace Democracy Socialism	30	0.13 %	- 0.05 %
	Labour majority	4,239	19.04 %	+ 2.59 %

6 th May 1999 Holyrood Election - Constituency result

Logo	Party	Candidate	Votes	%	% change
	Labour	Lord Watson of Invergowrie	12,966	48.06 %	- 8.11 %
	Scottish National Party	Maire Whitehead	7,592	28.14 %	+ 7.87 %
	Conservative & Unionist	Mary Leishman	3,311	12.27 %	- 0.18 %
	Liberal Democrat	Callan Dick	2,187	8.11 %	+ 1.36 %
	Socialist Workers Party	Roddy Slorach	920	3.41 %	+ 3.41 %
	Labour win	Labour majority	5,374	19.92 %	- 15.98 %

6 th May 1999 Holyrood Election - Regional list result

Logo	Party	Votes	%
	Labour	11,040	40.86 %
	Scottish National Party	6,596	24.41 %
	Conservative & Unionist Party	3,163	11.71 %
	Liberal Democrats	2,057	7.61 %
	Scottish Socialist Party	1,666	6.16 %
	Scottish Green Party	1,213	4.49 %
	Socialist Labour Party	549	2.03 %
	Pro Life Alliance	364	1.35 %
	Scottish Unionist Party	168	0.62 %
	Natural Law Party	59	0.22 %
	Communist Party of Britain	49	0.18 %
	Humanist Party	41	0.15 %
	Socialist Party of Great Britain	28	0.10 %
	Bridget McGeechan, The People Choice	27	0.09 %
	Labour majority	4,444	16.45 %

1 st May 1997 Westminster Election

Logo	Party	Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	John Maxton	19,158	56.17 %
	Scottish National Party	Marie Whitehead	6,913	20.27 %
	Conservative & Unionist	Alistair Muir	4,248	12.45 %
	Liberal Democrat	Keith Legg	2,302	6.75 %
	Pro Life Alliance	Zofia Indyk	687	2.01%
	Scottish Socialist Alliance	Ronnie Stevenson	458	1.34%
	Referendum	Strang Haldane	344	1.01%
	Labour hold	Labour majority	12,245	35.90 %

Links

• Glasgow SNP
  
  
• Glasgow Cathcart SNP