Salmond urges cut in energy costs

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Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond, on the by-election campaign trail in Glenrothes, has called on UK ministers to cut energy costs.

The SNP leader also demanded the release of £120m raised from the fossil fuel levy and intended for Scotland.

Chancellor Alistair Darling and shadow foreign secretary William Hague also visited the Fife constituency, in the last full week of campaigning.

Labour will be defending a majority of 10,500 in the poll, on 6 November.

The Liberal Democrats questioned whether Mr Salmond was spending too much time on the campaign trail.

Campaigning on energy issues, Mr Salmond said the content of gas and electricity bills dropping through letterboxes was "the most powerful election leaflet in Fife".

"In an constituency focused on powering Scotland it is surely wrong that many can't afford their own power," he said.

GLENROTHES CANDIDATES Morag Balfour, Scottish SocialistsMaurice Golden, ConservativePeter Grant, SNPLindsay Roy LabourKris Seunarine, UKIPHarry Wills, Liberal DemocratsLouise McLeary, SolidarityJim Parker, Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party <a class="" href="/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/7641675.stm">Glenrothes: Candidate profiles</a>

"A vote for the SNP is the only way to send a message to London that it's time for action to cut bills and unfreeze the potential investment in Scotland's renewables future."

The chancellor said that, while the current financial crisis was probably the most profound shock to the world economy in decades, he was confident the UK could come through it.

He added: "It is only the strength of the United Kingdom that gives us the clout in the rest of the world and the clout in the coming months to support our economy, which is absolutely essential."

Urging Mr Salmond to ditch plans to replace the council tax, Mr Darling added: "If you want to encourage people to work here at the moment, to put up their income tax over and above that which everybody else is paying in the United Kingdom, I believe would be extremely damaging."

During his visit to Glenrothes, Mr Hague said Prime Minister Gordon Brown's increased borrowing was "a demonstration of failure, rather than a plan for success".

"All he is really going to do is borrow to pay unemployment benefit," said the former UK Conservative leader.

"What is needed now is real, practical help for families and businesses by cutting keeping council tax, cutting the tax on small businesses and real help to keep down heating bills this year and every year."

The Liberal Democrat candidate in Glenrothes, Harry Wills, claimed Mr Salmond was putting party politics before Scottish interests by campaigning in the constituency.

He added: "The question that has to be asked of Mr Salmond is who's running the country while he engages in so much campaigning?

"He should be working to help families get through these tough economic times, as the Liberal Democrats are, and not grandstanding for the cameras."

The Westminster by-election follows the death of Labour MP John MacDougall, who had a majority of 10,664 in 2005.