Fife faces the prospect of producing another “discarded generation” unless investment is made in jobs and training for young people, Jim Murphy has warned.
The Scottish Labour leader also admitted there was a possibility of the SNP taking seats in the region, despite there being some of the biggest Labour majorities in the country.
He will bring his shadow cabinet to Glenrothes today with the focus being on helping young people get into good quality jobs.
“We need hope,” Mr Murphy said. “Throughout the ’80s it was a generation scarred and a decade of David Cameron will lead to another discarded generation which Fife can’t afford.
“Any seat Labour lost to the SNP in Fife increases the chance of David Cameron getting back into power.”
He added: “If the polls were repeated on election day Labour loses seats but the SNP aren’t going to beat David Cameron.
“If Labour was to lose in Fife it would be David Cameron dancing in the street to Downing Street.”
The shadow cabinet was invited to Glenrothes by local Labour candidate Melanie Ward, who is also the party’s young people’s champion. Senior figures will meet apprentices and businesses during the day.
Mr Murphy stressed Labour’s pledge to eradicate zero hours contracts and raise the minimum wage would help people locally. However, he would not be drawn on his parliamentary future after announcing he will stand once again as an MP.
Questions remain over whether he will serve the full term or stand down after a year when he seeks election to Holyrood.
He said: “I’m taking it one election at a time. I’m determined to beat the Tories in May then I will be Labour’s candidate for First Minister next May. I will definitely be a candidate for the Scottish Parliament.”