Candidates out on campaign trail

IT WAS “super Thursday” in the Dunfermline and West Fife by-election yesterday with some of the biggest names in politics hitting the campaign trail.

To the bewilderment of shoppers, Dunfermline High Street at times resembled the pitch at a rugby international as the political big guns were caught up in a media scrum.

The biggest star was Conservative leader David Cameron, making his third visit to Scotland since becoming leader. Thronged by media, he made his way down the High Street with candidate Carrie Ruxton answering questions and glad-handing members of the public.

At the general election last May the Tories came third. Did he think Ms Ruxton could win in what would be the biggest political surprise for years?

“There’s always a chance because we’ve got a first-class candidate, it’s an open contest and we’re fighting for every vote,” he said.

“Carrie’s fighting very hard. She runs her own business, she’s a mum, she lives locally and I think she’d do a great job for the area.”

Mr Cameron said while other parties were fighting each other, the Tories were running a positive campaign.

“All the other parties are knocking each other for six,” he said.

“And actually, in a positive campaign fighting on the issues people care about—the Forth Road Bridge, the local hospital—Carrie has proved she’s a good campaigner, and that’s what counts.”

Mr Cameron declined to say what he thought the Forth road bridge toll should be, but said his party policy was to build a new road bridge.

Later in an exclusive interview with The Courier Mr Cameron gave his reaction to the “pop star” reception he had received in Dunfermline.

“It was encouraging. People were very enthusiastic, very friendly and very encouraging,” he said.

“We need a bit of excitement in politics, particularly in Scotland, to get people to look again at the Conservative Party. If we generate a bit of excitement maybe people will have a look and say, ‘Have they changed?’

“I see me being here as part of trying to get the Conservatives back into contention in Scotland.

“We have seen this decline and decline and decline. We’ve got one MP and I want us to do better.

“We have to fight back in Scotland and I am going to give it my all.”

Did the fact that the by-election is taking place in Gordon Brown’s back yard have anything to do with him being in Dunfermline yesterday? he was asked.

“The thought never crossed my mind!” said the Tory leader beaming.

No sooner had the Cameron cavalcade left the High Street than the media re-grouped to engulf the Liberal Democrats’ big hitter of the day— former leader Charles Kennedy, supporting candidate Willie Rennie.

Mr Kennedy, who was forced to resign as leader in last month after admitting to having a drink problem, got an enthusiastic welcome from around 20 party supporters.

Asked directly if he was “still on the wagon,” he replied, “Yes.”

Several members of the public asked about his health. Each time he answered, “I’m keeping very well.”

Despite repeated questions from the media about the race to succeed him as leader, he refused to back front-runner Sir Menzies Campbell.

“Whoever is the new leader, they can count on my loyal support,” he said.

Asked if “Ming had blood on his hands,” Mr Kennedy said, “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

Mr Kennedy suggested the series of controversies to hit the leadership election has “upped our profile.”

He insisted the by-election was a straight fight between Labour and the Liberal Democrats. “It is a two-horse race as they say, between us and Labour.”

Asked about Tory leader David Cameron, Mr Kennedy said, “No harm to him, but he is a bit of a new kid on the block when it comes to leadership.

“I don’t think David Cameron will find this particularly fertile ground for the Conservatives.”

The first party leader to hit the High Street yesterday was the SNP’s Alex Salmond, making his sixth visit to the constituency to campaign for candidate Douglas Chapman.

With a week to go until polling day, his assessment was that the SNP was in second place, but was going to win.

“Next Thursday there will be a Saltire hoisted over this historic town,” he predicted. “It is going to be extremely close.

“We are not ahead yet but it is going to be extremely close. We are already in second place and we are catching Labour.

“The Chancellor (Gordon Brown) considers this his own fiefdom. Well, it isn’t.”

Mr Brown himself was back on the campaign trail yesterday with Labour candidate Catherine Stihler announcing 40 new jobs at Oceaneering International, a North Sea sub-sea equipment firm located at the former Rosyth naval base in the constituency.

He denied Labour was showing panic by hurling large numbers of MPs into the by-election campaign.

“I think this is a very organised and very comprehensive campaign that wants to get across to every voter, and that is what we are doing,” he said.

Mr Brown also repeated his opposition to an increase in tolls on the Forth Road Bridge. “It’s pretty clear when you listen to people around here—and I’m a resident from very near here—that people do not want that toll rise,” he said.

He added, “It is not necessary. We have already had a toll rise in the last few months and I don’t think there is any chance of that toll rise going through.”

Also campaigning yesterday was former Dundee East MSP John McAllion, standing for the Scottish Socialist Party in the by-election.

“People are realising that it is time to start again and fill the vacuum left by the old Labour Party,” he said.

“People are very concerned about local issues—the Queen Margaret Hospital, the bridge, tolls and the council tax.

“There is a growing attitude in this country to laugh at socialism. We disagree with that and every vote for us is a vote for the future of socialism.”

The Courier