Parties set out economic policies

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Candidates in the Glasgow North East by-election have been setting out their priorities for jobs and the economy, in the final few days of campaigning.

Labour and the SNP said they were committed to boosting training for young people and apprenticeships.

The Tories said the benefits system needed reform to encourage the long-term unemployed back to work.

And the Liberal Democrats said they would raise the starting threshold for income tax to £10,000.

The Glasgow North east seat was vacated by former Commons Speaker Michael Martin, who resigned amid the Westminster expenses row.

'Boosting housing'

Voters will go to the polls on 12 November to elect one of 13 candidates as an MP.

Labour said its economic policies in the constituency, which takes in areas including Springburn and Dennistoun, also included the reinstatement of the cancelled Glasgow Airport Rail Link and a jobs summit enlisting local employers.

"We need to try and channel the investment that's there, to get it into the constituency," said candidate Willie Bain, who was campaigning with Chancellor Alistair Darling.

Mr Bain added: "It's my passion to get young people and the long-term unemployed back to work."

The SNP said the Scottish government's action on housing was boosting the area's prospects.

Candidate David Kerr said Scotland would thrive with independence - but the party also pledged to invest in tackling fuel poverty and job training in schools.

He said: "We have to equip young people in this area to compete in the jobs market and the reality is the Labour council in Glasgow isn't investing the money it should in education.

"They're closing schools, they're raising class sizes, they're cutting back on teachers."

Willie Bain and Alistair Darling set out their economic priorities

Tory candidate Ruth Davidson, who visited a Glasgow firm which provides job skills, said her party wanted to work with local employers and backed a tax break as an incentive for new firms taking on staff.

"We have to get Glasgow North East back working again and we have to get Britain back working again because that's how you bring prosperity into areas like perhaps this one, where there have been problems in terms of poverty and deprivation," she said.

The Lib Dems also said they would seek to curb short-term risk-taking in the financial sector.

Candidate Eileen Baxendale, who was joined on the campaign trail by UK party leader Nick Clegg, said: "When somebody loses their job, they really need help straight away, they need to be able to go to the job centre and have a discussion about what they need to get themselves back into work - and that doesn't really seem to be happening now."