POLLING takes place today in Glasgow North-East to elect an MP to replace the former Speaker of the House of Commons Michael Martin, who has been elevated to the peerage.

Graham Dines

POLLING takes place today in Glasgow North-East to elect an MP to replace the former Speaker of the House of Commons Michael Martin, who has been elevated to the peerage.

The contest is seen as a battle between Labour and the SNP - with Glasgow Airport terror hero John Smeaton likely to pick up a number of Labour protest votes. At best, this working-class area of Scotland's largest city will only have a handful of Conservative voters.

Candidates are:

Charlie Baillie (British National Party), Willie Bain (Labour), Eileen Baxendale (Liberal Democrats), Mev Brown (Independent), Colin Campbell (TILT), Ruth Davidson (Conservative Party), David Doherty (Green Party), Mikey Hughes (no party indicated), David Kerr (Scottish National Party), Louise McDaid (Socialist Labour Party), Kevin McVey (Scottish Socialist Party), Tommy Sheridan, (Solidarity), John Smeaton (Jury Team).