Final day in by-election battles

Labour faces its biggest electoral test since the general election

Candidates have embarked on their last day of campaigning in two Scottish by-elections.

The Thursday by-elections in Glasgow Cathcart and Livingston have been viewed as the biggest poll tests for Labour since the May general election.

The by-election for the Commons seat of Livingston follows the death of former foreign secretary Robin Cook.

The Cathcart seat at Holyrood became vacant following the resignation of disgraced MSP Mike Watson.

The by-elections have also been seen as vital for the Lib Dems and the Scottish National Party.

Scottish National Party Leader Alex Salmond has set the task of winning at least 20 additional Holyrood seats in the 2007 elections.

For the Lib Dems, both Cathcart and Livingston could help Nicol Stephen prove himself in his new role as the party's Scottish leader.

Wilful fire-raising

The Conservatives have also been hoping to increase their share of the vote.

Labour has been defending a majority of more than 13,000 in the Westminster constituency of Livingston. In May, Mr Cook secured more than 50% of the vote.

His long-time agent and close family friend, Jim Devine, was selected to contest the seat, with Angela Constance representing the Scottish National Party, Charles Dundas fighting for the Lib Dems and Gordon Lindhurst campaigning for the Scottish Tories.

A Commons and a Holyrood seat are up for grabs

The other candidates contesting the seat are Peter Adams of the UK Independence Party, John Allman of Alliance for Change, Independent candidate Melville Brown, Brian Gardner of the Socialist Party of Great Britain, Steve Nimmo of the Scottish Socialist Party and Scottish Greens candidate David Robertson.

Mike Watson resigned as Labour MSP for Cathcart after pleading guilty to wilful fire-raising at an Edinburgh Hotel last year.

The party selected former Glasgow City Council leader Charlie Gordon as candidate, while the SNP has chosen Maire Whitehead, with Arthur Sanderson representing the Lib Dems and Richard Cook campaigning for the Tories.

Scottish Socialist Ronnie Stevenson, Greens candidate Chloe Stewart and Bryan McCormack of UKIP are also contesting the seat.

Pat Lally, former Glasgow lord provost, entered the running as one of two Independent candidates. The other is Christopher Creighton.

The votes will be counted following the closure of polling booths at 2200 BST on Thursday.