BRIAN Wilson's exit could not have come at a more fortuitous time for the two Scottish MPs who will tomorrow lose their seats in selection battles.
In recent weeks, Labour members in the new Glasgow East and Paisley and Renfrewshire North constituencies have been pondering who will represent the party at the next general election. The results will be known tomorrow evening.
For the losers, the vacant North Ayrshire and Arran seat, with a nominal 11,000 Labour majority, could seem like a heaven-sent consolation.
In Glasgow East, the fight is between Jimmy Wray, MP for Baillieston since 1987, and his old friend, David Marshall, 63, who has been MP for neighbouring Shettleston since 1979.
Although Glasgow East takes in all of Baillieston and under half of Shettleston, it is Mr Marshall who is seen as favourite to win.
Mr Wray suffered a stroke at the end of last year, and his performance at a recent
hustings raised serious doubts about his ability to cope
with the demands of another term.
The result is expected to be far closer on the other side of Glasgow, in Paisley and Renfrewshire North, where Irene Adams is fighting Jim Sheridan for the Labour nomination.
Mrs Adams, 56, took over the Paisley North seat in 1990 after the death of her husband Allen, who had been the area's MP since 1979. Acting as cheerleader for her selection campaign has been Wendy Alexander, the local MSP and former minister.
Despite Ms Alexander's help, however, Mrs Adams is being chased hard by Mr Sheridan, 51, who has been MP for West Renfrewshire since 2001.
Mr Sheridan is understood to have been cultivating trade union support in recent months, in anticipation of a tough selection contest.
Mrs Adams is still favourite to come out on top, but Mr Sheridan may yet pull off an upset.
Whoever loses in Glasgow and Renfrewshire will be able to move in on the empty Ayrshire seat, provided they have the stomach for a fresh fight.
As sitting MPs, they can expect an interview from the local CLP, but are also likely to face competition from local contenders.
Malcolm Savidge, MP for Aberdeen North, who recently lost a fight for the redrawn seat of the same name, may also enter the race, unless he is tempted to go for Dundee West, which was left empty
by the retirement of Ernie Ross.
All Labour's selections should be settled by Christmas.
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