INVERCLYDE general election candidates clashed in a public hustings with just over a week left until the polls open.

Ronnie Cowan, of the SNP, Conservative Haroun Malik, Labour's Martin McCluskey and Liberal Democrat Jacci Stoyle took part in a hustings in the Beacon Arts Centre last night organised by the Campaign to Save Inchgreen Dry Dock.

The pressure group was launched two years ago by retired shipyard worker Robert Buirds and held the event to focus on how each of the candidates would help boost local industry and use their influence to revitalise the historic maritime site if they become the area's next MP on December 12.

Mr Cowan, who is bidding to keep a hold of the seat he first won in 2015, says he has been in constant dialogue with dock owners Peel Ports and that there are already some green shoots of recovery with a pontoon for the new Greenock Ocean Terminal development being built there - a project part-funded by the owner and the Scottish and UK Governments through the City Deal scheme.

He said: "Historically, Peel have left Inchgreen to rot but recently they have invested in the facility. "Time will tell if this is too little too late. "I'm of the opinion that under the right management it has a great future."

Labour hopeful, Mr McCluskey, who was just 384 votes off his SNP rival at the last election two years ago, is calling for a 'plan B' if Ministry of Defence work, which the company is pinning its hopes on, does not materialise.

He said: "Peel and the council must come forward with a proposal for use of the dry dock itself and not just the surrounding area.

"The examples of highly-productive shipyards on similar size sites in Nordic countries should be a model for how Inchgreen could be developed in future.

"If no activity starts and the dry dock continues to be run down, a compulsory purchase, community buyout or similar must be an option."

Tory hopeful Mr Malik says he is in favour of more support for companies like Peel and cited the £19 million Ocean Terminal expansion as a positive example of partnership working between the public and private sectors.

He said: "We need to support local business and create conditions favourable for companies to invest so they bring high quality jobs and benefits to the rest of the area.

"Over the past 10 years, Peel has invested over £840m in Scotland in a wide range of commercial, transport, residential and energy projects, creating thousands of jobs.

"We do not want to scare away jobs and investment."

Lib Dem candidate Ms Stoyle wants to see the people of Inverclyde given a greater say in the future of major industrial sites like Inchgreen.

She said: "I would, as MP for Inverclyde, call for a citizens' panel to be established to look at the potential to develop a proposal that would involve the community, the council, and companies including Peel Ports, with a view to getting far greater public and private engagement in this big underused and appreciated asset we have in the heart of our community. "From this, I would expect that many of the issues raised would be discussed in a constructive and serious and informed way, and in so doing unlock new insights and opportunities."

The hustings was chaired by Alex Logan, convener of the GMB trade union at Ferguson Marine in Port Glasgow.

Voters go to the polls a week tomorrow.