15 August 2008
Labour faces the unwelcome prospect of another Scottish by-election, following the death of MP John MacDougall.
The MP, who represented the Fife seat of Glenrothes, which neighbours Prime Minister Gordon Brown's constituency of Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath, died from cancer.
Another by-election will be a daunting prospect for Labour following its disastrous defeat in Glasgow East at the hands of the Scottish National Party last month.
Labour's majority of 13,500 was overturned by the Nationalists, who won by a margin of 365 votes.
Labour in Scotland is also in the midst of a leadership contest, with three candidates battling to take over from Wendy Alexander, who resigned following a row over her failure to register donations.
In Glenrothes, MacDougall had a majority of 10,664 at the last election. It was a new seat created as a result of boundary changes. Formerly leader of Fife Council, he was first elected to Parliament for the former Central Fife seat. He was also a former vice-president of the Assembly of European Regions.
PFaug2008
