Lib Dems Challenge Brown's Labour in Edinburgh South

8.54.27pm BST (GMT +0100) Sun 24th Jun 2007

As Gordon Brown takes over leadership of the Labour Party local Lib Dem Spokesperson Fred Mackintosh set out the case against Labour in Edinburgh South.

"Again and again I meet people disappointed with Labour. The income gap between rich and poor is wider in 2007 than it was at any time under Margaret Thatcher. Gordon Brown's rhetoric does not hold water. His record is Tony Blair's record." said Fred Mackintosh.

"The level of personal debt is also a big issue in this constituency. Personal debt is up 160% since 1997. British citizens now owe more than £1.3 trillion. It is just too late for Labour to wake up to the issue of the housing market after ten years in power. They should have acted sooner."

In Edinburgh South the Liberal Democrats are the only challengers to Labour MP Nigel Griffiths. A swing of just 0.5% would see Fred Mackintosh elected as the next MP for Edinburgh South. The Tories remain well behind. In May they dropped into fourth place in the Scottish Parliament constituency that makes up more than four fifths of the Westminster Constituency.