SCOTTISH Militant Labour yesterday announced its candidate for the
by-election created by the resignation of Govan MP, Mr Ian Davidson,
from his Strathclyde Regional Council seat.
Mr Alan McCombes is a resident of the ward and editor of Scottish
Militant Labour newspaper. He is also still a member of the local branch
of the Labour Party.
''I am certain that action will now be taken to expel me,'' he said
yesterday.
Mr McCombes, 37, who is married with an 18-month old daughter,
predicted a three-sided battle before polling on October 29.
''We have indications that SNP and Labour voters will be deserting in
droves to support Scottish Militant Labour,'' he said.
''This election is about the ability to stand up and fight. People in
Govan are desperate for defiance,'' he said.
He said that the key issues would be opposition to warrant sales to
recover poll tax arrears, opposition to water privatisation, and
opposition to school closures. His wife Hazel is a primary school
teacher in the area, where the Roman Catholic school, St Gerard's, is
threatened with closure.
The Govan by-election will be held on the same day as one in
Barlanark, caused by the resignation of Councillor Albert Long because
of illness. Both contests will be crucial to Labour following the
party's loss of Easterhouse earlier this month to give SML its first
regional seat.
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