The SNP has attacked Labour's "continued silence" over recent events at Scotland's largest council.

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon criticised Labour as she and SNP Glasgow East MP John Mason met voters at a bingo hall in the city in an effort to tell voters that "Labour's number is up".

The parties had spent the last day of the Westminster recess having some fun before the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, made his announcement.

The Prime Minister confirmed that the General Election would be held on May 6th.

Mr Brown said it was the "least well-kept secret of recent years".

He said he came from an "ordinary" background and would fight hard for families on "modest incomes".

Mr Brown made the announcement outside Downing Street, after a 20-minute meeting with the Queen at Buckingham Palace to seek the dissolution of Parliament

Conservative leader David Cameron said his party had the "big ideas" for the country, while Lib Dem Nick Clegg said only his party offered "real change".

Conservative supporters donned masks of Mr Brown and Mr Darling and climbed into boot costumes. They rocked back and forth, making the boots appear to be walking above young plants in a patch of bare earth, as Nancy Sinatra's These Boots Are Made For Walkin' blasted out from a stereo.