Ed Miliband set out his vision for the UK under a Labour Government when he made his speech at the party conference.

He wants one nation where people work together, where the system works for people at the bottom as well as people at the top.

To achieve that we need political leadership committed to taking the tough decisions to support our economy, to support the most vulnerable, to stand up for those who need our support, to speak for those who have no voice.

Instead we have a Government committed to tax breaks for the well-off and to sacrificing those at the bottom in favour of those at the top.

I am not just taking about the Tories and Liberal Democrats in UK Government, but also about the SNP in Holyrood.

Instead of standing up to the Tory/LibDems' cuts, the Scottish Government is making them worse.

Instead of investing in capital projects to support jobs and growth, it has cut £60million of support for the construction sector, slashing the house building budget.

And it does so with a programme for Government that not only favours those at the top but also sacrifices those most in need of support.

l Why is it that at a time of free prescriptions the number of nurses and midwives in the NHS in Scotland is down by 3000?

l Why is it the SNP's No 1 economic ambition is to slash taxes for big business at a time when families are struggling with their budgets?

l And why, when the UK Government cut income tax for millionaires, did First Minister Alex Salmond remain silent?

The SNP talks left, but acts right; promises the public services of Scandinavia, but the tax system of Monaco.

That is not political leadership. That is political dishonesty.

Political leadership was shown last week by Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont and Glasgow City Council leader Gordon Matheson:

l Leadership by Johann in setting out the real challenges facing the country, not pretending the global economic crisis is happening everywhere else but Scotland.

l Leadership in setting out priorities, leadership in balancing tough choices in tough times.

l And with Glasgow City Council increasing the living wage to £7.50 for its lowest paid workers, it is showing real leadership in helping working families.

What Glasgow needs is for Alex Salmond to get on with the job of Government and not obsess with an independence referendum.

With one in four young people unemployed, 3000 police civilian jobs being cut and the number of food banks opening growing faster than the economy, Alex Salmond can no longer live in denial that bad things never happen in Scotland and under his Government.

The need is real and the time to act is now.