Following the moving of the writ for the Glasgow East by-election for 24 July, First Minister and SNP leader Alex Salmond said:

“Labour are in a blind panic over the Glasgow East by-election.  It is extraordinary and unprecedented for Labour to hold a Glasgow by-election during the Glasgow Fair – they are running scared of the electorate.

“Labour has lost the trust of the people, and are clearly hoping to have a by-election with no voters!

"Their tactics to remove people from the by-election by holding it during the Glasgow Fair will backfire badly, and the SNP will fight a strong campaign to win.

“The deadline for getting a postal vote is 9 July – people in Glasgow East must make sure that Labour does not succeed in disenfranchising them.”