FOR many voters in the Glasgow South seat a Tory MP is still within living memory.

Glasgow Cathcart was the seat held by well known Conservative, Teddy Taylor, up until 1979.

Since the end of the First World War the seat had been Tory or Unionist for longer than it has been Labour since.

When MPs get in the south side seat they tend to stay a while.

Mr Taylor was returned as MP five times, his predecessor John Henderson also five times.

When Labour finally won the seat, with John Maxton ousting Taylor in 1979 he held it until 2001 when he stood down.

Tom Harris won the seat in 2001 comfortably and held it twice since with little of a contest.

This time he faces a real fight to keep it with Stewart McDonald of the SNP mounting the challenge.

Glasgow South covers a wide area, affluent communities and those with deprivation issues, areas of large scale social housing and some of the most expensive homes in the city.

Mr Harris is aware that he faces a serious threat this time and is working to get his message out.

He had a brief spell as a minister under Tony Blair and stood for Scottish Labour leader but said the most satisfying part of the job is being able to resolve issues for constituents.

Mr Harris said big issues were benefits sanctions and living standards.

He said: "In the last year I have seen so many cases of ridiculous benefit sanctions people losing two weeks money for being one minute late for a meeting."

He said he has been able to help in some cases and when necessary at a ministerial level.

He added: "I think I have a good reputation for helping individuals. It is the most satisfying part of the job being able to help in individual cases."

Even though he is defending a majority of 12,000 over the SNP Mr Harris knows this time is different.

He said: "People are feeling insecurity in terms of jobs, low wages higher prices and bills, it's bread and butter stuff."

It is on the bread and butter issues that he is arguing a Labour government will make difference

He said: "Ed Miliband has taken Labour to the left which is what people in this constituency want."

If the SNP were to win Glasgow South it would be as big a shift as Labour winning Cathcart in 1979.

The challenger, hoping to be the constituency's next MP is Stewart McDonald of the SNP and he said the issues are jobs, housing and regeneration.

Stewart McDonald: "If you look at Pollokshaws, it used to be a hive of activity, now there's very little in it.

"It has been depopulated, buildings are derelict and services run down.

"There has been pockets of new housing but people don't want to move in to the area because of the lack of facilities.

"Pollokshaws needs to be included in the wider investment programmes."

Mr McDonald is known in the area working in the Cathcart Constituency for SNP MSP, James Dornan and campaigning during the referendum.

He said people hold their elected representatives responsible for the problems.

He added: "People talk about regeneration in other areas like the east end but areas like Pollokshaws get ignored."

In other parts of the constituency he said there are concerns about transport and not being connected.

He added: "In Castlemilk the wind turbines were supposed to generate money for community projects, but it hasn't happened."

He dismissed the idea that to vote out the Tories you must vote Labour.

Mr McDonald said: "Labour don't get to set the terms of the debate. It's about more than 10 Downing Street. It's about who stands up for the south of Glasgow and for Scotland."

Mr Harris knows he will have a battle to keep the seat for Labour. He said he can win it but he sums up the challenge ahead accurately.

"If I win," he said: "it will be the greatest achievement of my political career."