Labour hits out over 'dirty tactics' at poll

Labour is to complain to electoral chiefs about "dirty tactics" during polling day at the Inverclyde by-election.

The party's Iain McKenzie was hopeful of holding on to the seat, which Labour took at last year's UK election with a majority of 14,000, after a late surge from the SNP's Anne McLaughlin.

Labour chiefs say their activists were prevented from questioning voters at polling stations about their voting intentions by Nationalist supporters, but the SNP claims it was not aware of any such activity.

A senior Labour source said: "It's clearly co-ordinated. We've been in contact with the returning officer on a number of occasions and we will be making a complaint to the Electoral Commission."

The campaign turned nasty in the past week, with Labour questioning Ms McLaughlin's local credentials.