Labour braced for vote cut as polls open
Liberal Democrats and the Scottish Nationalists are vying for second place and the contest is also the first electoral test for David Cameron's new-image Tory party.
Labour insiders have admitted the expect the party's majority to be reduced to between 2000 and 3000.
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Hide AdThe by-election was caused by the death of long-serving Labour MP Rachel Squire.
Meanwhile, campaigners fighting to remove tolls from the Forth Road Bridge have staged a demonstration on the crossing.
The protesters marched across the bridge carrying banners yesterday, and tried to lay a wreath at the offices of the Forth Estuary Transport Authority.
The marchers were accompanied by Tom Minogue, a veteran anti-toll campaigner and independent candidate in today's by-election.