On 15 November 2004, Watson had been charged with two counts of fire-raising while attending a private reception at Edinburgh's Prestonfield House Hotel three days previously.
Charan Gill, a well known Glasgow entrepreneur had a high-profile attempt at becoming Labour's candidate for the by-election, and was reputedly supported by First Minister, Jack McConnell.
She defeated Bill Kidd, twice a candidate elsewhere in Glasgow and the SNP Trade Union Group organiser and Tommy Tonner, a Glasgow-based consultant.
The Scottish Socialist Party chose Ronnie Stevenson; the Liberal Democrats, Arthur Sanderson; and former Lord Provost of Glasgow Pat Lally, who stood as an independent in the seat in 2003, fought it once again.
Richard Cook, who also stood in the seat in 2003, was the Conservative candidate whilst the Greens picked Chloe Stewart, a 31-year-old NHS employee in Glasgow, and the UKIP chose Bryan McCormack.