SNP Glasgow North East candidate, David Kerr, has written to the leaders of Scottish Labour and the Scottish Conservative seeking immediate assurances that religion will not be used as an issue in this forthcoming by-election.

Commenting, Mr Kerr said: "I was very disappointed to read comments by senior Labour and Conservative politicians in which they raised my personal faith as a by-election issue.

"Modern Scotland and Scottish political parties encompass people of all faiths and none.  My faith is a personal matter, and religion has no part to play in this or any other campaign.

"The Labour candidate Willie Bain agrees with that, yet Labour's Justice Spokesperson has sought to make it an issue in the by-election - as indeed has the Tory Deputy Leader. I have written to party leaders seeking assurances that this sorry episode will not be repeated.

"I represent the SNP's positive record of helping the hardworking people of Scotland while my opponents are being forced to defend the stances of parties who seek to slash Scotland's budget and endanger vital services but this is no excuse for them seeking to divert attention and bring issues of religion into political campaigning.

"The London parties should cut out the nonsense, and focus on the real issues. And Labour should call the by-election this week, instead of leaving Glasgow North East without parliamentary representation for another four months."

Notes:

• In the Sunday Times yesterday, Labour Justice Spokesperson Richard Baker is quoted as saying: "There has been a lot of coverage about Opus Dei .and I'm sure it will be a cause for people to have questions about Mr Kerr's views."
• Conservative Deputy Leader said the disclosure raised question about whether it was appropriate to have a candidate who was a member of a "secretive" and "hard line" organisation.