Cardenden marks end of Brown's journey of redemption

WITH its peeling paint, cracked wash basins and stained Anaglypta wallpaper, the Bowhill War Memorial Hall in Cardenden is not the most likely of venues for political redemption. But it was here, just before midday yesterday, that Gordon Brown completed a remarkable transition.

Just a month ago, as the Prime Minister arrived in Manchester for the Labour conference, senior party figures were calling openly for a leadership challenge. The clear belief was that it was a question of "when" not "if" Mr Brown was forced out of office.

An eve-of-conference poll predicted a thumping 150-seat majority for David Cameron in a general election, and the SNP was a red-hot 2/9 favourite to win the Glenrothes by-election.

It is a clear indication of how much has changed that, by the time the Prime Minister entered the tatty, single-storey hall in the old Fife mining town, just a couple of miles from his own constituency, the by-election had become too tight to call.

Only three weeks ago, the bookmaker William Hill was offering 3/1 on Labour winning Glenrothes. Back then, Mr Brown was still sticking by the "convention" that prime ministers do not campaign in by-elections.

Yesterday, as he made his second visit to the constituency, William Hill said the race was so close, it had Labour and the SNP tied on 5/6.

"This is one of the most spectacular comebacks in political betting history," said spokesman Rupert Adams. "We could soon be calling Gordon the comeback king."

The party's revival comes on the back of the Prime Minister's success in being seen as a steady and experienced figure in times of turmoil. Indeed, as the economic crisis has deepened, so Mr Brown has prospered.

At the Manchester conference, he was edgy, defensive and moody – understandably so. But yesterday, when he rose to speak to the voters of Glenrothes, he was relaxed, confident and jokey.

He spoke, as a Fifer, about Cardenden and Kirkcaldy High School, about John Thomson, the Celtic goalkeeper from Cardenden who died during an Old Firm match in 1931, and he joked about his beloved Raith Rovers.

He was applauded when he came in and when he left, having spent 45 minutes sitting at every table, hearing about all the gripes and grievances, from fuel prices to bus timetables, and he promised that each one would get an answer.

"I was thinking of voting SNP," said retired home-carer Jeanette Hoggan, from East Wemyss, but she would now be returning to Labour. "I thought maybe they (the SNP] could make a difference and I do back independence. But I was very impressed with Lindsay Roy (the Labour candidate] and I thought the Prime Minister was very good.

"I think their policies are quite good, particularly dealing with young people and antisocial behaviour."

Adele Shanks, 44, a biology teacher in Kirkcaldy, used to be one of the large apathetic minority who never bothered to vote.

She went along to yesterday's meeting because of Mr Roy, who is the headteacher at Kirkcaldy High School, where she works as a supply teacher. Indeed, she did not know she was going to hear the Prime Minister and was only told when she walked through the hall's doors.

Ms Shanks spoke to Mr Roy and Mr Brown from her seat under a school-type blackboard, inscribed by the Labour candidate with his four-point action plan (antisocial behaviour, opportunities for young people, sorting out the buses and helping Fife families).

She said: "I am impressed with Lindsay and I have seen the difference he has made since he has been at Kirkcaldy High School, the difference he has made to the pupils and the respect they have for their families.

"This is the first time I have felt so strongly (about voting]. This will be my first time. I have never been interested in politics before."

Labour managers claimed before yesterday's event that Mr Brown would be meeting "wavering" voters, members of the electorate who had yet to make up their minds about who they would vote for. This turned out to be some way from the truth, as almost everyone there was already a diehard Labour supporter.

Hamish Lindsay, a pensioner from Leven, was typical of many when said he would be voting "socialist, Labour", and berated Alex Salmond and the SNP for trying to make Mr Brown the issue, rather than independence.

"The people of Fife will not be part of this Alex Salmond ego trip," he said.

Ms Shanks and Ms Hoggan represented the few real wavering voters there while a minister from Auchterarder, the Rev Mitchell Collins, was the only one willing to say he was definitely voting for the Nationalists.

Mr Collins said: "I liked the Prime Minister and I thought Lindsay Roy was fine, but I am a big fan of Alex Salmond. Alex Salmond can speak to the Scottish people better than any other of the leaders in Scotland.

"Brown is best for Britain and no-one can hold a candle to him, but I still think Salmond is better for Scotland."

The Liberal Democrats and the Tories have fought hard to get noticed in this campaign. Both have brought up their national leaders in an attempt to push their way into the contest, but it is really a straight fight between Labour and the SNP.

One of the reasons Mr Brown did not go to Glasgow East was that he did not want to get involved in a political street brawl with Mr Salmond because that would have elevated the First Minister to prime ministerial level.

But Glenrothes is different. Mr Brown knew John MacDougall, the Labour MP for Glenrothes who died in the summer, very well, and he knows Fife very well. This really is his home turf so, despite the risk of a confrontation with Mr Salmond, the Prime Minister went to Glenrothes, and went to Glenrothes again.

Nobody is willing to predict what will happen next Thursday. Mr MacDougall won the seat with a 10,664 majority in 2005, but the Nationalists took the overlapping constituency of Central Fife at the Scottish elections in 2007.

Three weeks ago, Glenrothes was a virtual lost cause as far as Labour was concerned, as was the Prime Minister.

Next Thursday, Labour may win and it may lose, but, either way, not only has the party made a fight of this contest at last, but Mr Brown's future no longer hangs on the outcome.

Candidates focus on energy and post offices

ALEX Salmond called on the people of Glenrothes yesterday to use their vote to demand cheaper energy.

Joining SNP candidate Peter Grant at Stuarts Bakers in Buckhaven, Mr Salmond urged voters not to let energy bills scare them on Halloween.

He also demanded action from Gordon Brown, the Prime Minister, to bring bills down this winter.

The First Minister said he wanted to see a VAT holiday on fuel bills this winter, plus £100 more for pensioners and a cut in VAT on energy efficiency measures.

Mr Salmond said: "People in Glenrothes can send a shockwave to London and win action on energy bills this winter.

"Gordon Brown put this by-election off for as long as he could, and I think that decision will come back to haunt him, as voters are reminded that Labour have done nothing to help bring energy costs down."

Mr Grant added: "Instead of being scared by the energy bills thudding through the door this Halloween, people in Glenrothes must use their votes to demand cheaper energy.

"Instead of promising cheap energy tomorrow it's time Gordon Brown did something about it today. The SNP wants to see real action to help families through the winter."

Liberal Democrat candidate Harry Wills demanded action from Labour to save threatened local post offices.

Mr Wills said: "Only the Liberal Democrats have consistently fought to save the Post Office, understanding they are the very heart of our local communities."

Maurice Golden, the Conservative candidate, also attacked Labour over post office closures, claiming Labour had closed 3,000 post offices and was preparing to axe another 2,500.