Reds cleared. Brown pocketed. Not many balls left on the table

This is getting too painful to watch. Similar to an execution, when it takes more than one blow of the axe to sever a head from a body. Sometimes taking several blows, leaving spectators aghast.

The Scottish National Party has pulled off a stunning by-election victory by winning Glasgow East, one of Labour's safest seats, by 365 votes.

The SNP overturned a Labour majority of 13,507 to win with a swing of 22.54%.

The SNP polled 11,277 votes in the contest, while the Tories came third with 1,639 and the Lib Dems, with 915 votes, came fourth.

SNP candidate John Mason said the victory was "off the Richter scale", while Labour expressed disappointment.

It'll take a sacrificial lamb or complete mug to want to take over from Brown before the next election. Labour colleagues will want to let him hang himself, lose the election, and return refreshed with a new leader - All problems blamed on Gordon. New improved Labour returns to fight another day.