Possible that Your Primer has give up the ghost, the thing that you pump after a fuel filter change, the rubber in em in splits and won't pick up the fuel.

As for glow plugs, my Rover Diesel will start first thing in the morning without out even giving the light chance to come on.

Ford diesels rely on glowplugs, so do Vauxhall diesels, but Peugeot diesels start very well without out glow plugs.