Party insiders seem quietly ecstatic at their nominee for the forthcoming Glenrothes by-election. The general assessment is that Lindsay Roy, 59, is not tainted by association with high politics, but remains a solid Labour man, having joined the party in 1975. He's successful, with close ties to the community, and - for a little bit of human interest - headmaster of the school Gordon Brown used to go to.That particular high school is Kirkcaldy, although before you start toying with too many romantic associations, he's only been there four months or so. Funnily enough, he was sent by the SNP-run council in Fife to turn the school around, after the SNP councillor on the education committee praised his appointment and expressed a barrel-load of confidence in his leadership skills. He had good reason to. A report from school inspectors last year said: "The headteacher provided exceptionally strong and dynamic leadership." It's a good little cherry on a successful tree. Roy is also former president of the Headmasters' Association of Scotland, and represents the country on the International Confederation of Principles, as well as moonlighting as a schools inspector. Be that as it may, he has his work cut out for him. Senior party figures still privately concede they have a mountain to climb, despite their majority in the constituency. It's one of those dark periods in Labour history, where a majority of 10,644 makes you the underdog. But with the Scottish National party (SNP) taking Glasgow East and undoing a majority of 3,000 more than that, that's exactly what Labour are. Not only that, but the SNP were quietly – some would say rather despicably – building up their local campaign in the months preceding John MacDougall's death. That was the death, from cancer, which triggered this by-election. But Glenrothes is not Glasgow East. There are various socio-economic differences, but most importantly Labour is convinced it can make leeway on the host of unpopular policies Peter Grant, the SNP candidate, has to somehow justify. As a consequence of the party's commitment to freezing council tax, the SNP have signed up to a cut in home care provision and adult apprenticeships, for instance. Labour still face an uphill struggle to retain the seat when the vote finally comes in late October or early November. But judging by the beaming reports of party insiders, it seems they're as confident in their candidate as anyone can expect them to be. Ian Dunt
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