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Election hopefuls hit the streets Election hopefuls hit the streets
(about 8 hours later)
Candidates are taking part in a weekend of intensive campaigning in the Glasgow East by-election. Candidates have been taking part in a weekend of intensive campaigning in the Glasgow East by-election.
The Liberal Democrats stressed regeneration and renewal while the SNP challenged senior Labour politicians to visit the constituency. The Liberal Democrats called for the abolition of the council tax while the SNP said UK Government plans to reform road tax would hit local people.
Labour were campaigning on energy prices, focussing on customers using pre-pay meters. The Tories hit out at road tax reforms. Labour called for the creation of a local jobs task force. The Tories said that action was needed to tackle the impact of fuel costs.
The parties have just under two weeks before polling day on 24 July.The parties have just under two weeks before polling day on 24 July.
Power costs Road tax
Labour's Margaret Curran was meeting potential voters at the Fort Shopping Centre. Labour's Margaret Curran said she was confident her party had a strong message to take to the east end of Glasgow.
Her party issued a warning that unfair power company rules mean some of the poorest customers, who use pre-pay meters, end up paying more. She said: "I want to emphasise jobs and the need to build up east end communities, there are lots of good things happening, we shouldn't talk it down, but there is still a lot to be done."
SNP candidate John Mason claimed Labour's leadership was too ashamed to come to Glasgow East. Calling for the creation of a local jobs task force for the area, Ms Curran added: "There's a lot of prosperity in the east end but there is still need and I think people do understand that Labour is best placed to actually tackle that need and take the east end forward."
He said: "Is the Chancellor too chicken to face the voters or are he and Gordon Brown hiding from people directly affected by the doubling of taxation on low earners and their inaction over rising fuel prices?" SNP candidate John Mason was joined by veteran former party president, MP, MSP and MEP Dr Winnie Ewing.
Regeneration call Mr Mason attacked proposals to reform road tax which he said would hit the less well off.
Tory leader Annabel Goldie and candidate Davena Rankin attacked the "soaring" cost of living under Labour. He said: "There's incredible concern that the UK Government is planning to raise road tax again on top of fuel prices and everything else."
The Conservatives claim 85,000 families in Glasgow will pay more road tax under UK Government plans and say the people of Glasgow East have been forgotten by Labour. Mr Mason added: "It's just too much for local people, we certainly support anything to encourage people onto public transport and more fuel efficient cars, but to tax people on cars they've already bought - a retrospective tax - that is inherently wrong."
Willie Rennie, MP for Dunfermline and West Fife, joined Liberal Democrat candidate Ian Robertson. Cost of living
Mr Rennie said: "Listening to voters in the East End today it is clear that Ian's message of regeneration and renewal is making a real impact. Tory leader Annabel Goldie and candidate Davena Rankin attacked the "soaring" cost of living.
"He is a very strong local choice and he will stand up and fight for local people." Ms Rankin said: "We're seeing food prices shoot up, bread's jumping up every day, people are struggling to put food on their tables and we're bringing forward positive solutions to sort that out.
The by-election was called when Labour's David Marshall resigned on health grounds. "The fuel price regulator, if introduced, would take 5p off the cost of a litre of fuel, bringing down food prices and the cost of petrol for people."
Liberal Democrat candidate Ian Robertson pledged to work to abolish the council tax.
Mr Robertson said: "What we can do is look at things like the tax system, we've always argued that we should abolish the unfair council tax system.
"In a constituency such as Glasgow East, certainly at least 80% of the constituency would be better off under the abolition of the council tax."