Labour leader attacks 'reckless' Tory cuts as he joins by-election campaign

Mr Miliband joined candidate Iain McKenzie campaigning for the Westminster Inverclyde by-election seat yesterday.

He said: "Iain McKenzie is a superb local candidate, a man who knows this community like the back of his hand because he has lived here all his life and fought for the area. People deserve well-paid, secure jobs, and Iain will work hard to make that happen for the communities he knows so well.

"But I know many families and pensioners here in Inverclyde are hurting, and hurting in the face of risky and unfair Tory cuts. We need a plan B on the economy to help people right across the country. There is now no coherent plan for growth.

"David Cameron's plan to cut spending too far and too fast is a reckless gamble with people's jobs and livelihoods, and it is making things worse, not better.

"The next generation needs opportunities, chances and hope. Yet people here see VAT up, child benefit frozen, tax credits cut and bills going up."

But SNP MSP for West of Scotland, Stuart McMillan, said Labour are "out of power and out of touch".

He also challenged Mr McKenzie, leader of the Tory-Labour-Independent coalition which runs Inverclyde Council.

Mr McMillan said: "Ed Miliband must explain why his party's candidate is part of a coalition with the Conservatives. Labour's coalition with the Tories makes a mockery of his claims to stand up to the Tories."

Meanwhile, Mr Miliband said he is opposed to a plan to close coastguard stations across the UK. Aberdeen would be the only coastguard station in Scotland to be spared the axe, and either Shetland or Stornoway would have a daytime-only service.

He added: "On the banks of the Clyde we see one of the riskiest cuts of all: plans to close an emergency coastguard centre that day-in, day-out stands ready to save lives of seafarers and those that work the seas."

The constituency's previous MP, Labour former Scotland Office minister David Cairns, died in May.