Greenock & Inverclyde by-election - Thu 30th June

The Westminster by-election for the Greenock and Inverclyde constituency is to be held on Thursday 30th June.

The writ for the by-election, caused by the sudden death of Labour MP David Cairns, is expected to be moved in the House of Commons this afternoon. This normally happens after Prime Minister's Questions.

Labour’s candidate, Inverclyde Council leader Iain McKenzie, will be defending a majority of 14,416 during the three-week election campaign.

However, in the nearest equivalent Holyrood constituency, also Greenock and Inverclyde, Labour’s lead slumped to just 511 in the Scottish Parliament elections last month.

Anne McLaughlin , who lost her seat as a regional MSP for Glasgow, will contest the by-election for the SNP.

The late David Cairns, who died from pancreatitis on May 9th, was MP for the seat since 1997.

Iain McKenzie, 52, said: "This is an election no-one wanted, because David Cairns was a well-respected MP who served people well."