Responding to Conservative proposals on the armed services, Scottish Liberal Democrat campaign chair Alistair Carmichael said: “The Tory plan for the armed services has a gaping hole in the middle of it.

“The lower ranks of our services endure massive danger for poor pay.

“That must change.

“The Liberal Democrats will raise the salaries of the lower ranks to the starting salary of people who work in our emergency services.

“That's fair pay for those who keep our country safe.”