Living costs on by-election trail

The Glasgow East by-election will take place on 24 July Glasgow East candidate profiles

The rising cost of living has dominated the Glasgow East by-election, as the last full week of campaigning in the constituency drew to a close.

The SNP said fuel and electricity prices were the top issues on the doorsteps, while Labour focussed on the cost of living for pensioners.

The Tories said it was time to stand up for the vulnerable, while the Lib Dems campaigned to save a fire station.

Voters go to the polls in the Labour-held seat on 24 July.

The by-election was sparked by the resignation of MP David Marshall on health grounds.

Friday's campaigning also came as an independent report, commissioned by Centrica, suggested gas prices could rise by as much as 70%.

I know the cost of living means we are all feeling the pinch, right across the world Margaret Curran Glasgow East Labour candidate

SNP candidate John Mason, who is seeking to overturn a Labour majority of 13,500, said the study reinforced his call for Chancellor Alistair Darling to bring in eight-point plan to tackle fuel poverty.

He said: "That has been the number one issue on the doorsteps - rising prices of petrol, gas and electricity.

"If we have another Labour MP, Gordon Brown is going to take that as a message that what he has been doing at the moment he can just carry on as before."

Labour's Margaret Curran, meanwhile, vowed to stand up for the elderly and attacked what she described as the Scottish Government's decision to "means test" central heating for pensioners.

"I know the cost of living means we are all feeling the pinch, right across the world, so we must protect the most vulnerable," she said.

'Naive' decision

But Conservative candidate Davena Rankin hit out at her opponent, stating: "It is simply astonishing that the Labour government opted out of an initiative that assists the most vulnerable in our society.

"At a time when all of us, not just the most in need, are reeling from high food and fuel prices, the news that gas bills are set to rocket is another hammer blow. "

The Liberal Democrats' Ian Robertson stepped up his campaign to save the Parkhead fire station, taking a petition round doorsteps in the constituency.

And he accused his rivals of being "stubbornly silent" over whether they would join the campaign.

"Labour and the SNP are too busy playing play school politics and have lost sight of the real issues affecting local residents," said Mr Robertson.

Meanwhile, actor John Michie has said he was "naive" to make a film for the BBC, last year, in which he appeared to support Scottish independence.

The Taggart star, who has joined Labour's by-election campaign, said he was angry about the Iraq war at the time and had always supported the party.