They are, depending on where you stand on the political spectrum, reforms designed to crush the most vulnerable people in society underfoot, or ones that will facilitate re-entry into normal, productive life.

The more cynical - and in Glasgow East, cynicism is one of the few abundant natural resources - believe that the radical changes in welfare benefit announced yesterday by James Purnell, the Work and Pensions Secretary, are as much about a party makeover as they are about changing lives. But they do not deny their potential impact on the constituency.

There are 11,000 people existing on incapacity benefit in Glasgow East - and the vast majority are incapacitated by reason of addiction to drink or drugs; depression; stress; nervous debilitation; or by some form of mental ill health. Normal productive life is not something they would recognise.

A drug aid worker said: “Some of my clients simply aren't capable of doing a job, any kind of job, no matter how much you try to force them or incentivise them. They're too far gone; their brains are too damaged by booze or drugs. If you abolish their benefits you condemn them to squalor and great risk.”As another charity worker put it: “You're talking about a quick fix for half the adult population of Glasgow. It's madness.”

Equally, in Glasgow East there are thousands who share the same disadvantages of birth as those on welfare, but have chosen to graft away on the minimum wage for a life devoid of luxury, but enriched, as the more patronising politician would have it, by purpose and self-worth.

David Cairns, the Scotland Office Minister, insisted that the reforms, which will create a simpler system and encourage the long-term unemployed back to work, will be welcomed by people on incapacity benefit.

The Solidarity candidate, Tricia McLeish, said: “Labour are planning to cut the income of the poor people of Glasgow in order to steal the Tories' clothes and woo middle-class English voters.”

Frances Curran, the Scottish Socialist Party candidate, said: “This is a new low even for today's Labour Party - to find their attacks on the sick and unemployed warmly welcomed by the heirs of Thatcher.”

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