He met local trade union officials and activists, and then went on to meet new and young Labour Party members,

Staged at a time when UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is gearing for a possible General Election, the meetings were said to have been arranged at Mr Leonard’s request - he wanted to hear local people’s concerns.

Local Labour Party members also heard from Wendy Milne, Labour’s candidate to contest the Linlithgow and East Falkirk constituency.

Mr Leonard said: “Tory austerity from Westminster is being passed on and added to by the SNP in Holyrood.

“We are seeing homelessness increasing, too many people in in-work poverty and having a daily struggle to make ends of meet, many more worrying about their health service, their children’s schooling or quality of life in old age.

“And for others it means precarious work or too few rights at work.