Ashay Ghai wins Bearsden South by-election from Cameron's Conservatives

The Cameron bounce doesn't exist in Scotland in the same way as it appears to in England.

Yesterday the voters went to the polls in the Bearsden South by-election to select a Councillor to replace the Conservative who had resigned.

Bearsden South ward is in the Westminster constituency of East Dunbartonshire where Jo Swinson is the MP.

Cameron's Conservatives threw everything plus the kitchen sink at this by-election and saw this as a way of "getting rid of Swinson" according to one email forwarded to me.

There were four candidates, Ashay Ghai for the Scottish Liberal Democrats, Rachel Higgins for the Conservatives, Fiona McLeod for the SNP and Manjinder Shergill for Labour.

The turnout was 36.22% and the quota was 1891.

The first preference votes cast in stage one were as follows;
Ashay Ghai - Lib Dem - 1110
Rachel Higgins - Con - 1261
Fiona McLeod - SNP - 783
Manjinder Shergill - Lab - 626

The votes in stage two following Labours votes being redistributed were as follows;
Ashay Ghai - Lib Dem - 1381
Rachel Higgins - Con - 1306
Fiona McLeod - SNP - 972

The votes in stage three following the SNPs votes being redistributed were as follows;
Ashay Ghai - Lib Dem - 1770
Rachel Higgins - Con - 1499

Ashay Ghai was elected as the Councillor for Bearsden South gaining the seat from the Conservatives.










So, Gordon Browns government party came a dismal fourth, Alex Salmonds Scottish government party came a bad third and David Cameron loses another Councillor and still has no mandate for government here in Scotland.

A great day for Ashay Ghai, Jo Swinson MP and the Scottish Liberal Democrats.

A bad day for Gordon, Alex and Dave.

Well done Ashay.

MPs Expenses - or Freedom of Information (Parliament) Order 2009

Why oh why do some MPs think their expenses should not be subject to public scrutiny?

So, party politics aside (I am a Liberal Democrat) - top marks to Jo Swinson MP for Tabling a Parliamentary Motion on this, it is EDM 492.

I am encouraging all my readers to write to their MP urging them to sign this EDM and you can do this so easily by using this website - write to their MP is a great free to use and easy service.

I have today written to my MP, who has yet to sign it, as he is part of the Government I am not optimistic he will do so.

Ministers are planning to keep MPs expenses hidden from view, why? What are they scared of?

Why should it be one rule for MPs and another for everyone else.

write to your MP today urging them to sign the EDM.

I've also bought a piece of land by Heathrow

Greenpeace have bought a plot of land right by where the proposed third runway would be at Heathrow. They are splitting this piece of land between 'beneficiary owners' who don't have to pay anything but will be signing up to show support.

I've signed up - as have Susan Kramer MP, Jo Swinson MP, Lynne Featherstone MP, Sandra Gidley MP and Simon Hughes MP - as have thousands of others.

So if you're interested and want to help stop Gordon Brown's Government embarking on this absolutely stupid decision to build a 3rd runway at Heathrow, visit the Greenpeace site.

I worked in Twickenham for Vince Cable for three years so I know first hand what damage this expansion would do, not just all the obvious environmental arguments, but the increased traffic - the local roads hardly cope now and the increased noise.

I recall the days when Concord used to land and take off, not only could you set your clock by it but the windows rattled and your ears knew about it, now I know that the planes used today aren't as loud as that, but what impact does the constant noise of planes landing and taking off have on the average person who lives within a few miles of Heathrow like my friends and residents in places like Twickenham?