Blair begins Scottish election drive

On the first of several promised visits to Scotland before May's elections, Tony Blair has been urging voters to back Labour.

The prime minister and first minister Jack McConnell are meeting campaigners in Glasgow at a Labour Party event.

The Labour leader is attempting to see off the electoral challenge posed by the Scottish National Party.

During his last visit in November he warned of a constitutional "nightmare" should the SNP win the Scottish parliamentary elections.

Polling suggests Labour has made little headway since that warning. 

A Labour spokesman said the prime minister will make regular visits north of the border between now and May.

"Tony Blair has pledged to take an active role in the Scottish parliamentary election, supporting Jack McConnell in delivering Labour's strong message of a strong and stable economy, delivering record investment in schools and hospitals, with more police and tough action on crime," he said.

Blair is set to speak at a Labour conference in Oban in which he will suggest that an SNP victory would lead to economic risks and high costs for families.

The spokesman refuted SNP claims that Blair is driving voters away, saying the prime minister "is the most electorally successful leader the Labour party has had - three elections in a row and the party on course for a fourth under its next leader".

Meanwhile SNP leader Alex Salmond responded to the visit by mocking "boomerang Blair", claiming the Labour leader is an asset to the nationalist campaign.