Election hopefuls hit the streets

The campaigning in Glasgow East has less than two weeks to run In full: Glasgow East candidates

Candidates have been taking part in a weekend of intensive campaigning in the Glasgow East by-election.

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 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.

Road tax

Labour's Margaret Curran said she was confident her party had a strong message to take to the east end of Glasgow.

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."

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."

SNP candidate John Mason was joined by veteran former party president, MP, MSP and MEP Dr Winnie Ewing.

Mr Mason attacked proposals to reform road tax which he said would hit the less well off.

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."

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."

Cost of living

Tory leader Annabel Goldie and candidate Davena Rankin attacked the "soaring" cost of living.

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 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."