JOHN Robertson became the 'accidental MP' after being selected to fight the seat following the shock death of Scotland's first First Minister Donald Dewar in 2000.

A technician and union leader within BT he won with around 50 per cent of the vote, polling there or there abouts in the three subsequent General Elections.

Dewar had taken the seat with over 60 per cent in 1997, almost two decades after being elected to its predecessor seat of Garscadden in a by-election following the death of Labour's William Small.

Before 1974 it had been held by the Tories under Sir James Hutchison but has, until now, been stony ground for anyone but Labour.

John Robertson (Labour) 19,233 54.1%

Natalie McKee (LibDEm) 5,622 15.8%

Margaret Park (SNP) 5,430 15.3%

Richard Sullivan (Conservative) 3,537 9.9%

Moira Crawford (Greens) 882 2.5%

Scott McLean (BNP) 699 2.0%

Marc Livingstone (Communist) 179 0.5%