STV Debate for the 4 main parties in the Glasgow North East by-election

A blow by blow account of tonight's STV debate from Conservative, Ruth Davidson, Labour, Willie Bain, Liberal Democrats Eileen Baxendale and SNP David Kerr.

Labours Willie Bain is first in the hot seat.

David Kerr starts the debate with a stunt, he throws a £2 coin at Willie Bain saying that's all Labour have spent in Glasgow North East on education.

Then he moves onto Margaret Thatcher and asks Willie Bain, repeatedly if he would have invited her into No 10.

Ruth Davidson from the Tories has a pop about Labour air brushing Gordon Brown out of all the by-election literature, Willie denied it!

Then she moves onto the number of Scots who have become unemployed and then asks him how many job centres have been closed - 53.

Lib Dem Eileen Baxendale questions Willie on immigration and asylum cases that have taken over 5 years and then moves onto children being incarcerated.

Eileen then moves onto the illegal war on Iraq and then questions whether he will keep the Whip if he wins because he disagrees with Labour so often.

Now, David Kerr takes the hot seat;

Willie Bain taunts David on the stories in his leaflets, then moves onto whether he supports the air link being scrapped, yes David does.

David Kerr rebutts and attacks Willie Bain for the personal attacks on him and praises Eileen and Ruth for fighting a clean campaign.

David Kerr goes on the defensive about the number of jobs brought into Glasgow North East by the First Minister

Willie Bain questions David on knife crime, David goes on the defensive. David states it is assumed that if a crime is committed with a knife then they should be prosecuted.

Eileen Baxendale goes on the attack on the cost of the SNPs National Conversation and an Independence Referendum, £7 million and £9 million respectively. David thinks both are a good use of public money.

Eileen makes a great point about SNP u-turns - David trots out the usual SNP nonsense rehearsed lines.

Ruth questions David Kerrs political hero, John Mason, (another SNP yes man). Then asks if he would accept Independence even if it made Scots poorer, not sure he really answered.

Ruth then moves onto the Lockerbie bomber and David Kerr's quote, which then reversed only days later. David claims he was wrong and changed his mind.

Next in the hot seat is Ruth Davidson from the Conservatives;

Eileen Baxendale questions Ruth on Climate Change, and the Tory alignment in Europe (good question), a spluttered non answer by Ruth.

Eileen then attacks the Tories on pensions, and questions whether they would increase pensions above the poverty line - no answer.

Willie Bain goes on the attack on the Tory's inheritance tax policy, Ruth fails to answer and waffles on other tax instead.

Willie attacks George Osborne getting it wrong on the recession.

Willie asks why Ruth changed her mind on the knife crime question, Ruth denies it and answers well explaining a joiner shouldn't be jailed for having a knife for his job.

David Kerr questions Ruth on free prescriptions, good answer by Ruth.

David Kerr goes on the attack on Trident, questioning why spend £100 billion when it could be better spent, Ruth says it has been a good deterrent and gives us a seat at the top table and she attacks the SNP on their defence strategy.

Ruth wants to keep nuclear weapons.

Now, the Liberal Democrats Eileen Baxendale takes the hot seat for the final part.

Willie Bain questions why the Lib Dems would scrap the child trust fund, Eileen defends it with a review of all taxes. Eileen defends our new policy of lowering the tax threshold so that most tax payers get £700 back!

Willie asks if Eileen agrees with Vince about scrapping child benefit, Eileen explains that we need to review all tax and benefits.

Ruth Davidson asks Eileen about Mansion Tax, Eileen states that all tax needs to be reviewed and wants tax threshold lowered for low and middle income earners.

Ruth asks if Eileen agrees with her that its good that the First Minister and the Prime Minister didn't meet to talk about the recession? Eileen says of course its a good idea that there is a strong a relationship between the two governments.

David Kerr talks about Nick Cleggs line on savage cuts and whether that was a suitable wording. Eileen points out that all party leaders are now talking the same language.

David Kerr then asks where the savage cuts would fall, Eileen says trident.

Alcohol related deaths, SNP wants to introduce alcohol minimum pricing, UK Lib Dems back it and Scottish Lib Dems don't, where do you stand?

Eileen talks passionately about when she ran alcohol projects in Glasgow, and explains that people who drink will continue to buy alcohol, whatever the price.

A good debate with the two boys squabbling like school kids.

I would say Eileen and Willie both 8 out of 10, Ruth 7 out of 10 and David just 5 out of 10.

Polling days is Thursday 12th November for the Glasgow North East by-election.
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