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.