By-election campaign heating up

The by-election campaign to replace the late David Cairns MP has gathered pace, with the SNP and Liberal Democrats announcing their candidates.

The SNP kicked off its campaign for the Inverclyde seat with a call to energy companies to stop "hammering households" with continual price rises, and pledged to prioritise job creation for the area.

Candidate Anne McLaughlin said: "Families are in shock at the scale of the price rises for gas and electricity. It's time households in Scotland got something back."

The Liberal Democrats have chosen as their candidate Sophie Bridger, president of Liberal Youth Scotland, the party's youth and student wing, who is said to be a rising star.

Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie said: "Liberal Democrats have real solutions and voters here can put their faith in the younger generation to fight for Inverclyde."

Conservative party candidate David Wilson has also been out campaigning with Scottish party leader Annabel Goldie.

He said: "I live in Port Glasgow and I care passionately about Inverclyde, about its people, its communities, its businesses. This is an area of great beauty and great potential. Its regeneration is my top priority."