FIRST Minister Humza Yousaf has put his Scottish National Party on an election footing in Inverclyde — and dismissed Labour's Martin McCluskey as a man who 'won't stand up for Scotland'.

Mr Yousaf — who was in Greenock last weekend — says his visit would be one of many as he ramps up the campaign for Ronnie Cowan to be re-elected to Westminster.

The First Minister drew a distinct battle line between the SNP and Labour candidates ahead of what he predicts will be a 'tough' fight with Mr McCluskey.

Mr Yousaf said: "There's lots of policies I could talk about in terms of our track record locally and also nationally but when you strip it all back the choice that people have in Scotland is, do you want an SNP MP who's going to stand up for you, stand up for Scotland and make sure our voice is heard, or do you want a Labour MP who won't stand up for Scotland but will do what Keir Starmer tells him?"

Greenock Telegraph:

The First Minister told the Telegraph: "We're not complacent, we know that general elections are tough. This is going to be tough general election and we're more than up for it.

"But there is only one party that will genuinely stand up to ensure that Scotland's voice is heard in Westminster and that is the SNP."
Mr Yousaf gave as an example the 'absolute betrayal' of WASPI (Women Against State Pension Inequality).

He said: "The WASPI women have faced one of the worst injustices I have seen from Westminster in the years that I've been in politics.

"And what we've had is Scottish Labour, and Anas Sarwar who used to support the WASPI women, now being told by their bosses in London that they cannot commit to a compensation scheme.

"Whereas Ronnie Cowan, and SNP MPs, have been advocating for WASPI women time and time again.

"And we will demand that Westminster comes forward with a compensation scheme because it is the very least that they can and should do."

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Mr Yousaf added: "The number one issue, unsurprisingly because the Greenock Telegraph has covered this time and time again, is the cost of living crisis.

"People are really struggling, whether it's the high energy bills or the weekly shop, people are really, really struggling.

"And what we've had is this grotesque spectacle of senior Labour figures falling over themselves to praise Margaret Thatcher.

"Just ask communities in Inverclyde and in Greenock what Margaret Thatcher's legacy was.

"It wasn't economic renewal, it was breaking the economy.

"It doesn't really matter what Martin McCluskey says, because ultimately if

Keir Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves — who will probably be the next chancellor — are praising Thatcher's policies, they will emulate Thatcher's policies.

"So it doesn't matter a jot what Martin McCluskey thinks because he isn't going to have any influence."