Member News
New SNP MP John Mason has taken his seat in Parliament for the first time.
The Glasgow East MP was welcomed to Westminster more than two months after capturing the seat from Labour in the July 24 by-election.
Mason was escorted to the despatch box by SNP chief whip Stewart Hosie and MP Peter Wishart, and was cheered loudly by the party's MPs and those from Plaid Cymru.
The former Glasgow city councillor took the oath of allegiance to the Queen, signed the roll of the House and shook hands with speaker Michael Martin.
Mason arrives at Parliament as campaigning gears up between Labour and the Scottish nationalists in the Glenrothes by-election, expected next month.
Mason overturned a 13,500 majority with a swing of 22 per cent in the Glasgow East poll, with Labour defending a smaller lead of 10,664 in Glenrothes following the death of MP John MacDougall in August.
That writ for that by-election is set to be called this week, with the ballot expected on November 6.
But Labour has avoided calling another potentially damaging by-election in the Scottish Parliament, with former first minister Jack McConnell's posting as high commissioner to Malawi postponed.
The Motherwell and Wishaw MSP will instead take on a part-time diplomatic post working with nations recovering from conflict.
Meanwhile Mason has already been at the centre of some controversy, with former deputy prime minister John Prescott seen making a 'V' sign gesture to some of his supporters as he was seen off from Glasgow station on Sunday.
Dods Parliamentary Communications Ltd