Ann McKechin, friend or foe?

Between now and the General Election on May 7 I'm highlighting a series of 'target seats', those where the candidate standing for re-election has supported anti-tobacco policies, and those where a leading candidate is an opponent of excessive lifestyle regulations and policies that infantilise us all. With a few exceptions I'm focussing on marginal or semi-marginal seats.

#20 - Glasgow North
Technically Glasgow North is not a marginal seat but try telling the SNP. Apart from Dundee, Glasgow was the only city/region in Scotland to vote in favour of independence and with polls suggesting Labour could lose most of their seats in Scotland, Glasgow North looks very shaky indeed. If Ann McKechin is defeated I won't be shedding any tears. It was McKechin, after all, who forced a debate on plain packaging in the House of Commons in January during which she called on the Government to hold a vote on introducing regulations. The real villain, it has to be said, was not McKechin but the Government which meekly caved in to her robust demand. Nevertheless the Labour candidate for Glasgow North won't be missed. I'd never even heard of her until the plain packaging debate!

2010 majority: 3,898 (13.2%)
Estimated number of smokers in Glasgow North: 10,282*
Principal opponent: SNP
Friend or foe: Foe
Target rating: Vulnerable

*Based on 20% of the registered electorate in 2010

Note: marginal seats have been defined as those with majorities of 10% or less that require a swing of 5% for the incumbent party to lose.