Margaret Curran, Labour's Candidate for Glasgow East today (Monday 14th July) visited the Gladiators project in Easterhouse. The project was founded by East End-born former champion weight-lifter Alex Richardson.

Speaking today, Margaret said:

"The Gladiators project is a great example of some of the things that we need to do to break down gang culture amongst young people . The work that Alec and his team have done is excellent and is something we can all learn a huge amount from.

"I know that giving kids something to do can transform the East End. If we want to get serious about tackling knife crime and anti-social behaviour, we need to offer young people something to do.

"I will never talk down to the East End, but we have to acknowledge that we have a problem with gangs of neds who are making decent, hard-working people's lives a misery and we need to face up to that challenge.

"I am campaigning for real investment in local sports facilities so kids have places to go and things to do in the East End. I will demand the SNP government build a much needed new youth centre in constituency and do more to provide more night-time sports for teenagers.

"But we all know that we also need tough deterrents backed up by the police. My 'safer streets' action plan will signal criminals won't have it their own way in the East End.

"Councillor Mason, my hardline nationalist opponent, and his government plan to follow up their police cuts by creating a £60 million black hole in the budgets for Council services. At the same time they are backing plans to dump 4,000 dangerous criminals out of prisons onto the streets."