Tory candidate fighting 'to win'

The Conservatives have launched their campaign for the Glenrothes by-election, claiming they could provide a national voice on local concerns.

The Tories said they hoped to build on their July result in Glasgow East where they outpolled the Liberal Democrats.

The party's candidate, Maurice Golden, said he was fighting "to win".

The Westminster seat has been vacant since the death of Labour MP John MacDougall in August. Polling will take

place on November 6.

The Conservatives claimed they were the only credible alternative to Labour in terms of Westminster power.

Mr Golden said a vote for the SNP was a vote for an uncertain future and a vote for Labour was "a vote for more of the failures of the last 11 years".

"People in Glenrothes can choose a safe change with the Conservatives - for a strong and confident Scotland within a strong and confident United Kingdom," he said.

"At a time when families are struggling with the soaring cost of living, this is not a time to reward either Gordon Brown's legacy of a broken economy or to stamp Alex Salmond's passport to separatism."

"As we showed in Glasgow East, there aren't any no-go zones for the modern Conservative Party"
David Cameron
UK Conservative Party leader

Mr Golden, an environment campaign manager, said he would fight on bread and butter issues, such as the cost of living.

He said: "We're seeing a lot of people swinging, a lot of people undecided and I'm seeing on the doorsteps feedback that's very positive for the Conservatives."

Scottish Conservative leader Annabel Goldie MSP said the Conservatives offered voters safe change and real leadership.

"People have lost faith with Gordon Brown and his Labour government.

"They desperately want change, but they do not want the SNP's constant bickering with Westminster."

David Cameron, UK Conservative Party leader, said: "As we showed in Glasgow East, there aren't any no-go zones for the modern Conservative Party.

"Whether it's in rebuilding our economy and easing the pain on hard-working families, renewing our NHS and repairing our broken society, more and more people are looking at our vision and ideas and responding positively."

He added: "And in Maurice Golden, we have a first-class candidate, a Fifer bursting with energy and full of enthusiasm to serve the people of Glenrothes.

"I'll be up there with him - on the streets, campaigning and delivering our message of change."

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