Labour today scored its best ever result in a Scottish by-election in living memory - seeing an increase in our share of the vote and comprehensively beating the SNP.

Labour beat the SNP with a majoity of 8,111 - and scoring an incredible 59.4% of the vote. The last time a party breached the 60% mark in a by-election was twenty-seven years ago.

The newly-elected Labour MP for Glasgow North East, Willie Bain, said:
 
"This is a great day for Labour. It is an absolute honour to stand here as the new MP for Glasgow North East and say that this is a resounding victory for Gordon Brown and Labour.
 
"This by-election has been about many things - most of all jobs and the economy.
 
"The people have had a chance to have their say. They have backed Gordon Brown and his efforts to secure our economic recovery.
 
"They have said a resounding no to Alex Salmond and his treatment of our great city. And a resounding no to David Cameron - the people of my community have not forgotten the last recession under the Tories. They don't want them back and they don't want someone who thinks Thatcher's economic policies were correct.
 
"People in my community have spoken, not just for the constituency but for the whole country.
 
"The message for the General Election is clear - game on."

Jim Murphy MP, Labour’s Secretary of State for Scotland, added:

"Willie’s victory is a resounding yes for Labour and Gordon Brown’s handling of the economic crisis.

"This was a humiliating result for David Cameron. The reality is that David Cameron’s Conservatives are less popular in Scotland now than they were under Margaret Thatcher – which speaks volumes.

"His face was on every leaflet that the Tories put out – they obviously thought that he was an electoral advantage to them.

"He personally visited the campaign then sent up another seven of his front bench.

"His claim to be a national leader is exposed by disastrous performances like this. The people of Glasgow North East have spoken loud and clear and they do not want David Cameron in number ten.

"I look forward to welcoming the new Labour MP for Glasgow North East to Westminster and having spent a good deal of time with Willie over this campaign I know he will stand up 100 per cent for his community.

"This has been a great boost for Labour here and across the country and we are ready for when the General Election comes."

Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray said:
 
"This is a fantastic win for Labour in a seat the SNP threw everything into winning.

"Jobs and economic recovery have been the dominant issues in the campaign and it is absolutely clear that the SNP's response to the recession has been woefully inadequate.

"The voters' verdict is that they know it is Labour who stands up for ordinary Scots and the SNP have let them down. On all the big issues they get it wrong. And the people of Glasgow North East have not been fooled by the SNP's negative tactics - their personal attacks on popular local man Willie Bain, their false claims about Glasgow schools, their politics of division and attempts to blame the UK government for their own incompetence.

"I am delighted by how Labour came together as we did at Glenrothes with my fellow MSPs joining with our Westminster and local government colleagues to rally behind an excellent candidate. Willie Bain will do a great job standing up for the people of Glasgow North East.

"It gives Labour momentum going into the General Election and then the Scottish Parliament elections, and sends a powerful message to the SNP. When asked to choose, the voters backed Labour and rejected the SNP."