WHEN John Mason won the Shettleston seat in 2011 it was a surprise but hardly the shock of the night.

He pulled of that trick three years earlier when he won a by election for the Glasgow East Westminster seat in what Alex Salmond described as a “political earthquake”.

In hindsight that result could have been the beginning of the tide turning from Labour to SNP in Glasgow.

Mr Mason, a former councillor having lost Glasgow East in the 2010 General Election returned the following year to narrowly defeat ex Labour minister and three time victor Frank McAveety in Shettleston by 586 votes.

Ms McAveety had previously always won more than 50% of the vote in a solid Labour stronghold, but Mr Mason had loosened that grip in the 2008 and should he retain the seat next month he will have completed what at one time would have been the unthinkable job of switching Glasgow’s east end from Labour red to SNP yellow.

He has gone from the challenger to the recognised MSP in the area taking on local issues railing against the proliferation of betting shops and against high interest loan firms.

He is being challenged by Thomas Rannachan the Labour candidate who has previously stood as an independent in the area in council by elections.

He is an active campaigner against the Offensive Behaviour at Football Act and has been active in a local housing cooperative youth volunteering and in a local parent teacher group.

The seat covers main thoroughfares of Gallowgate, London Road. Shettleston Road and Tollcross Road.

Like other areas of high deprivation there is problems with gambling and debt and Mr Mason once counted more than 30 betting shops in his area and many close to payday loan shops.

From High Street and Saltmarket in the west to the Monklands M8, M73 interchange in the east and from Barlanark and Swinton in the north to Carmyle in the south the seat covers most of what would be described as the east end.

It includes Celtic Park and the Commonwealth Games sites at Dalmarnock and Tollcross, The Barras, Bridgeton, Garrowhill and Baillieston.

It includes the Gallowgate area, Parkhead and Barrowfield where social housing improvements have lifted the area but deprivation and poverty remains stubborn.

It also includes more affluent neighbourhoods like Mount Vernon and many new private developments in Broomhouse and Swinton.

Shettleston constituency has a higher than the Scottish average of single person households as 42% and a far higher level of people living in social rented housing at 39% compared to 24% in Scotland.

There are however more properties that are owner occupied in Shettleston than social rented at 46%.

Levels of old age and disability can be seen in the high number of people providing the highest number unpaid care, with 33% of the population proving more than 50 hours care a week.

The main contest is between John Mason and Thomas Rannachan, both of whom live in the constituency.

Ms Mason said: “The legacy of the Commonwealth Games has benefited the area especially the physical legacy and the 700 new houses.

“There has been a lot of infrastructure investment like the M74 completion and electrification of the rail line at Carmyle.

“I am a backbench MSP who is prepared to say what I think and will speak out against the government when it’s needed.

“I’ll continue to campaign on poverty related issues like the number of betting shops and on minimum pricing which will benefit the area.

“The Barras is a challenge and needs council, government and the community to work together. It has so much potential but is not delivering.

“If there is one area I want continued investment in it is housing.”

Mr Rannachan said: “I volunteer a lot with 16 to 24 year old sand see what they need. I want to encourage more college place and more house building that would help with apprenticeships.

“University is not always an option for young people here for various reasons so other opportunities are a priority.

“There is a lot needing done but a lot of opportunity

“I want to encourage more investment in the constituency. There is a lot of opportunities for small and medium sized businesses. There is a lot needing done but many success stories. I want create more economic opportunities.

“I will still campaign against the Offensive Behaviour at Football Act but from living and working in the constituency I know there is more issues that require attention.”

Candidates

Giovanni Caccavello (LibDem)

Thomas Kerr (Conservative)

John Mason (SNP)

Thomas Rannachan (Lab)

2011 result

Candidate party votes %

John Mason SNP 10,128 47.8

Frank McAveety Lab 9542 45

David Wilson con 1163 5.5

Ruaraidh Dobson Libdem 371 2.8