| Labour candidate Lindsay Roy has welcomed former deputy Prime Minister John Prescott to the constituency to bolster his campaign, while SNP candidate Peter Grant was joined once again by First Minister Alex Salmond.
Lib Dem candidate Harry Wills was joined in the Kingdom Shopping Centre by Scottish Lib Dem leader Tavish Scott and Willie Rennie MP, who stormed to victory for the Lib Dems over Labour in the Dunfermline and West Fife constituency by-election in 2006.
Meanwhile, Tory candidate Maurice Golden was joined on a visit to Elite Falconry in Cluny by Scottish Tory leader Annabel Goldie and Shadow Scottish Secretary David Mundell before all three travelled to the town’s Kingdom Centre.
Mr Grant, who remains the bookies’ favourite to seize the seat from under Labour control, issued a direct appeal to voters by claiming the SNP was “leading the fight for Scotland”.
“The SNP is contributing £8m to a new bio-mass generator at Tullis Russell, helping secure 500 local jobs,” he said. “The SNP is determined to protect HBoS employees, and all of Scotland’s workers.
“The council tax is frozen until 2011, we have cut prescription charges, and extended the free bus pass scheme. Thousands of Scotland’s small businesses have had their rate bills slashed or abolished.
“Yet, in a week when the whole world is looking forward, all Labour have to offer is scaremongering and negativity — no facts, no answers.”
However, Labour continued their attack on the SNP today with the help of Mr Prescott, the Hull MP not reluctant to pull his political punches.
“I generally come to by-elections we are fighting but this one really means a lot to me,” he said.
“I was furious when I heard about what the SNP council in Fife is doing to older people in Fife.
“They have absolutely hammered our pensioners with these huge charges for home care and for safety alarms. It’s an appalling way to treat our older folk — they deserve dignity and respect, not obscene charges and debtors’ letters. Lindsay Roy is a man you can trust.
“He’s an experienced Fife headteacher, not a career politician. I’m very proud to be up here campaigning for him.
Mr Prescott added, “Fifers have a clear choice tomorrow: Lindsay Roy — a man who has spent his life trying to inspire young people in his schools — or his SNP opponent, who spent his time in charge of Fife Council hammering the elderly and disabled.” |
