All of the four mainstream candidates in the Glasgow North East by-election have pledged to vote for the reforms to MPs' expenses proposed by the Kelly Committee.
The election has been caused by the enforced resignation of former Speaker Michael Martin over his handling of the issue. Last week, Sir Christopher Kelly recommended changes to expenses including no mortgage payments to MPs, no family members employed by MPs at the cost of the state, and no expenses provision for expensive furniture.
The lack of progress on these issues led to the departure of one time Labour MP and former Speaker Michael Martin, who is now Lord Martin of Springburn.
Labour candidate Willie Bain said: "Michael Martin made the right decision to go when he did. He had lost the confidence of part of the House, and in those circumstances the Speaker cannot continue.
"But this was about really all MPs and that is why we need an approach that will apply to everybody, regardless of which party they are from."
Campaigning on Tuesday, the Conservative candidate Ruth Davidson had the support of Shadow Schools Minister Michael Gove.
Mr Gove had to pay back £7,000 for expense claims including, amongst other things, a birdcage coffee table and elephant lamps.
Ms Davidson has pledged to be squeaky clean. She said: "No party came out of this looking well. The Kelly Report and the Legg Report indicated that there had been problems from members from the Conservative Party, Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the SNP.
"All I can do is tell the people of Glasgow North East what they can expect from me."
The SNP’s David Kerr, campaigning against school closures, had the support on Tuesday of the Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon - a MSP who employs a relative. This practice is currently under review.
Mr Kerr said: "I know I have Nicola Sturgeon here today, who employs her mother but I think she is of the opinion and I am of the opinion that if the parliamentary authorities decide that it is best to phase out family members being employed – not that there is any skulduggery involved in that – but just in terms of the perception of parliament, then we are happy with that."
MSPs have benefited from the Edinburgh Accommodation Allowance. Scottish Liberal Democrat Leader Tavish Scott made £36,000 on a taxpayer funded flat to help buy a near £400,000 property.
Eileen Baxendale, the Lib Dems candidate, said: "The general principal is that people should not be making a profit out of what they doing. I don’t know enough about his (Tavish Scott’s) situation and I am not going to comment because I don’t know enough about it. The general principle is that we are not making a profit."
The candidates who will contest the Glasgow North East by-election are:
Charlie Baillie, British National Party
Willie Bain, Scottish Labour Party
Eileen Baxendale, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Mev Brown, Independent
Colin Campbell, The Individuals Labour and Tory (TILT)
Ruth Davidson, Scottish Conservative and Unionist
David Doherty, Scottish Green Party
Mikey Hughes
David Kerr, Scottish National Party (SNP)
Louise McDaid, Socialist Labour Party
Kevin McVey, Scottish Socialist Party – Make Greed History
Tommy Sheridan, Solidarity – Scotland’s Socialist Movement
John David Smeaton, Jury Team
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