UK:CONSERVATIVE LEADER David Cameron challenged prime minister Gordon Brown to call a general election yesterday after the SNP's sensational win over Labour in the Glasgow East byelection, writes Frank Millar.
The SNP's John Mason overturned a Labour majority of 13,507 on a massive 22.54 per cent swing to take what had previously been Labour's 25th safest seat in Britain and spark fresh speculation about the possibility of a challenge to Mr Brown's leadership at the party's September conference.
Mr Brown sought to steady Labour nerves with the assurance that he was "getting on with the job" of leading the British people through difficult economic times.
In an opening speech to Labour's policy forum meeting in Warwick, the prime minister also urged Labour members to have confidence in policies that would deliver "a brighter future" and persuade voters back to Labour come the general election.
However, jubilant SNP leader and Scottish first minister Alex Salmond said the people of Glasgow East had "sent a message" to Mr Brown: "That message is 'change your policy or change your job'."
Mr Cameron's call for a general election seemed calculated to deter Labour rebels plotting against the prime minister - with his implicit suggestion that the governing party could not expect to change the prime minister again without consulting the electorate.
With a modest improvement putting his Glasgow candidate in third place ahead of the Liberal Democrat, Mr Cameron said Labour's loss of Crewe and Nantwich, its fifth place in Henley and its drubbing in May's local and London elections, showed the country was "fed up" with the Labour government.
"I think the prime minister should have his holiday, but then I think we need an election," he said: "I think we need change in this country, and that's how change should come about."
Stating the obvious, Mr Salmond replied: "I've got news for David - I don't think there's going to be an imminent general election somehow."
The first minister seemed to imply this might not be a bad thing because the country needed "a change of policy" and could not be allowed "to drift into recession".
Mr Salmond - who confounded the bookmakers and most pundits with his prediction of an electoral "earthquake" despite Labour's opinion poll leads during the Glasgow campaign - told the BBC's World at One programme that Thursday's contest "uniquely" had been "between two governments" and that "the Scottish case won".
Elsewhere, describing this "test of strength" between the UK and Scottish governments, Mr Salmond declared: "It was London Labour that was found wanting, and the SNP that emerged victorious."
Promising that the SNP would "march to the sound of the priorities of the Scottish people", the first minister continued: "If we keep doing that then we're going to take some stopping come the general election, the Scottish elections to come and the independence referendum in 2010."
Chancellor Alistair Darling led ministers in dismissing any suggestion that the SNP victory reflected increased support for Scottish independence, while accepting that "the cost of living" was the biggest issue on the doorsteps.
Mr Brown repeated that the government was addressing public concerns about rising fuel and food prices, insisting: "We are looking at everything we can so that, in a global problem, we can in Britain help people through these difficult times."
But Labour MP Graham Stringer broke ranks to suggest the "new start" and "change of policy" Labour needed might also require "a change of leadership".
The Manchester Blackley MP said the situation required members of the cabinet "to have a closed and honest discussion with Gordon Brown", and that the decision in the end was "whether the Labour Party has the will to win the next general election".
Scottish and defence secretary Des Browne defended Mr Brown's leadership amid reports that he himself could be a casualty of a cabinet reshuffle ahead of the September conference. Mr Browne said: "In Gordon Brown we have a leader of our party and our country who is well-placed to take us through these difficult economic times."
John Mason (SNP) was elected on 11,277 votes, followed by Margaret Curran (Lab) on 10,912, Davena Rankin (Con) on 1,639 and Ian Robertson (Lib Dem) on 915.