Labour in final push in Dunfermline

Catherine Stihler has warned Labour voters in Dunfermline and West Fife that if they stay at home in Thursday's by-election they risk waking up to an SNP MP on Friday morning.

Catherine said: "Some Labour supporters may feel there is little at stake in this by-election. With respect, there is a lot at stake."

"We've brought 10,000 jobs to this area since 1997 and only Labour will deliver 10,000 more."

"Only Labour has outlined plans to bring prestigious investment to our area, like the £30 million school for training executives which will create 400 jobs."

"The success of Rosyth Dockyard shows what can be done. My friend and colleague Rachel Squire successfully fought to keep the yard open when the Tories tried to close it."

"Now, under Labour, Rosyth is training more manufacturing apprentices than anywhere else in Scotland."

"But it didn't happen by accident. It happened because Dunfermline and West Fife voted for a Labour government and a Labour MP."

Catherine Stihler has already launched a campaign for a second road bridge across the Forth and succeeded in getting the proposed £4 road toll scrapped.

She said: "This is my community. I have listened, I know what people are concerned about and I will fight for them."

"I will fight for the re-generation of Dunfermline city centre."

"Labour has delivered the tough new measures to tackle anti-social behaviour which scars too many of our neighbourhoods."


"I will work with local communities to make sure the police and council take full advantage of Labour's measures to tackle the yobs. I will fight to make our streets safer."

"Labour is investing record amounts into the NHS. In our own community £12 million is being spent on re-furbishing and modernising the Queen Margaret Hospital. I will fight for first class health services in our area."

"And here in Fife, Labour has spent nearly £75 million building new schools and refurbishing others. Our children deserve the best start in life and investment in education is the best investment we can make."

"We are spending this cash to give all our kids the chance to turn fails into passes, 'B' grades into 'A' grades, dead end jobs into careers with prospects, leaving school at 16 to finishing university with a degree."

"Labour has done more for hard-working families than any other government in history."

"Nearly 7,000 families in this constituency are benefiting from the Child Tax Credit and the Working Tax Credit."

"From April this year the maximum support for families with two children will rise from £140 a week to £240 a week. Anything other than a Labour victory on Thursday will put that work at risk.

"Two million pensioners have been lifted out of poverty since Labour came to power with a guarantee – linked to earnings – of a minimum income of £109 a week."

"The £200 Winter Fuel allowance has warmed the homes of almost 13,000 pensioners in this community and locally almost two and a half thousand pensioners are benefiting from an average of nearly £40 a week from the Pensioners Credit.

"All of this is at risk if a party other than Labour wins on Thursday."

Scots Secretary Alistair Darling added his endorsement of Catherine as the candidate to succeed Rachel Squire.

Alistair Darling said:

"Catherine is a first class local candidate who served her political apprenticeship under Rachel. She is the person Rachel wanted to succeed her."

"I ask everyone who lives in Dunfermline and West Fife to preserve her memory by voting for Labour."

"Do it for Rachel. And do it for every hard-working family, every pensioner and every child in your community."

Scottish Labour Party