2000_Glasgow_Anniesland_by-elections
2000 Glasgow Anniesland by-elections
By-elections held in Glasgow Anniesland, Scotland
There was a double by-election in Glasgow Anniesland in 2000.
Donald Dewar, a leading figure in Scottish Labour politics, had in 1999 been elected to the Scottish Parliament where he had become First Minister of the Scottish Parliament, but he retained his seat in the Parliament of the United Kingdom intending to stand down at the next general election. However, Dewar died on 11 October 2000 from a massive brain haemorrhage, possibly brought on by a fall he suffered outside his official residence the previous day. This created a by-election for his seat of Glasgow Anniesland in the UK Parliament and Glasgow Anniesland in the Scottish Parliament.
Both elections were held on the same day, and polling day was set for 23 November. John Robertson had already been chosen to fight the seat for Labour at the general election and therefore stood at the byelection. The Labour vote declined, but with the main beneficiary being the small Scottish Socialist Party rather than the challenging Scottish National Party, the seat was comfortably held.