Labour launches by-election fight

Labour's Lindsay Roy will be defending a 10,600 majority in Glenrothes

The Labour Party has launched its campaign for the by-election in the Fife constituency of Glenrothes.

The party is defending a 10,600 majority from the last General Election in 2005.

Lindsay Roy, the 59-year-old rector of Kirkcaldy High School, is the party's candidate for the 6 November ballot.

The seat, next door to Prime Minister Gordon Brown's constituency, has been vacant since the death of Labour MP John MacDougall in August.

Mr Roy outlined a series of measures on anti-social behaviour, transport and helping families through the "tough times".

These include benefit "check-ups" to ensure older people get their full entitlement - including free insulation - and outlawing the "overcharging" of people on pre-payment meters by energy firms.

People's pockets

He also wants to see a citizens' panel being set up to decide where new CCTV should go.

Mr Roy called on his Nationalist opponent Peter Grant, the local council leader, to "get off his knees" and ensure the SNP plans for free school meals in primaries one to three are fully funded.

"He should go to his SNP bosses in Edinburgh and not come back until he has the money Fife needs to buy the schools meals for these kids," Mr Roy said.

Mr Grant was joined by public health minister Shona Robison at a local pharmacy in Cardenden.

"The SNP government promised to reduce prescription charges as we move to abolish them altogether," he said.

"It is therefore good to meet local people who are benefiting from the delivery of this key commitment during a time of soaring of bills."

Mr Grant said the move had put money "back in people's pockets".

He added: "Labour ducked and dived on this issue, and it is fairer that people do not have to face the choice of paying for prescriptions or their heating bills.

"The reduced charges mean that everyone who pays for prescriptions will pay less."

Meanwhile, Scottish Conservative leader Annabel Goldie has sent a letter to voters in Glenrothes warning them that the SNP is not the "safe" alternative to Labour.

She said some voters are "under the delusion that the SNP is a sort of 'tartan insurance policy'".

"Every vote Alex Salmond gets, stamps his passport to independence," Ms Goldie said.

"Voting for the SNP in this by-election is not change, it's not progress, it's a cop out," she added.