Education and jobs have taken centre stage in the latest round of campaigning in the Cowdenbeath by-election.
Sports minister Shona Robison joined SNP candidate Natalie McGarry outside St John’s primary school in Rosyth to highlight the Scottish Government’s pledge to deliver free school meals for primaries one to three.
UK Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls joined Labour candidate Alex Rowley at Purvis Plant Hire, in Lochgelly, to make the case for voting yes to Labour and no to independence to safeguard jobs and investment.
Mr Balls also insisted that “childcare is a more important need here in Scotland” than the provision of free school meals.
Scotland Office Minister David Mundell joined Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson and her candidate Dave Dempsey in Dalgety Bay, urging the SNP and Labour to quit the political “mud-slinging” and address local issues.
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie insists the SNP has “failed” in Fife on education and policing, and backed his candidate Jade Holden for Cowdenbeath.
The by-election, to replace the late Labour MSP Helen Eadie, will be held on Thursday.
Ms McGarry, who attended St John’s as a child, said: “We know from all the evidence, not least the pilot scheme conducted here in Fife, that when young pupils receive free school meals, it encourages them to stick with them throughout their time at school.
“Families in this constituency are simply appalled that Labour voted to stop kids from getting free school meals, despite the financial help the policy will bring to families and the boost it will give to children’s nutrition of at least £330 per eligible child.”
Ms Robison said: “We are determined to do more for our children’s health by providing free school meals in primaries one to three – a policy that will make a massive difference to families, but which Labour has appallingly chosen to try and block.”
Earlier this month, Labour voted against a motion to back the Scottish Government’s commitment to increasing the number of primary school pupils eligible for free school meals.
Labour leader Johann Lamont said she would have made expanding the provision of childcare her spending priority instead.
Mr Balls said he supports the Liberal Democrats’ pledge to expand free school meals in England and said it is “right and proper” that Scotland makes its own choices on this devolved issue within the United Kingdom.
“At a time when people are under pressure and we’ve got to get them back to work, childcare is a more important need here in Scotland,” he said.
“The nature of devolution is that you can make these very decisions in Scotland, and it’s right and proper that you do that within a United Kingdom, which is why I hope the SNP don’t get their way and break up the UK.
“The key issue for this by-election is who is going to stand up for local people on jobs, apprenticeships and getting energy bills down.
“The choice is clear: an SNP candidate who only wants to talk about independence and breaking up the UK, and Alex Rowley the leader of the council, talking about jobs, investment and helping local families.”
Conservative candidate Mr Dempsey said: “The start of the campaign seemed to give both parties the green light to attack each other.
“They’ve spent more time obsessing about each other and trying to land political punches than actually giving the voters what they want.
“That’s why we are engaging in a positive campaign, focusing on my record of delivery as a councillor and what I can offer them as an MSP for this area.”
Ms Holden said: “The SNP have talked up their record locally but the truth is that it speaks for itself.
“Fewer college places and college funding cuts. Fewer police stations open to local people and cuts to opening hours at public counters.”
Mr Rennie said: “When it comes to things like local police stations and college places, the numbers that should be going up are going down. This is simply not good enough and Cowdenbeath deserves better.”