CAMPAIGNERS with the left-wing alliance Rise have occupied a building in Glasgow city centre to highlight a lack of homeless accommodation in Scotland.

In an homage to Human Rights Day, activists took over 190 Trongate to raise awareness of empty buildings which could be used to house those in need.

The building underwent a £1.5million renovation in 2015 to transform it into high-end flats and a ground floor retail unit, though the latter remains empty.

A spokesman for the alliance said: "Over the past few months Rise members have been highlighting empty buildings around Scotland.

"This has been part of a wider campaign to highlight the negative impact that land banking and property gatekeeping has on local working-class communities.

"We stated that unless these properties were used in a manner that would directly benefit our communities we would take actions to ensure that they were."

The statement continued: "As Christmas is approaching, families are forced to stretch household budgets further and deeper into debt, whilst land and property is hoarded and locked off to protect the wealth of a tiny minority.

"Our continued campaigning will focus on a variety of issues and topics that will highlight the deeply adverse economic and social effects property gate-keeping has on our working class communities.

"We feel that present circumstances force us to focus on the pressing housing crisis and struggles people are facing whilst homeless. We commend the great work done by homeless charities and outreach groups, who a providing invaluable help and support to people in our communities.

"We believe it is imperative to support the work being done by people on the frontline by demanding that society tackles the root causes of homelessness and insecure housing. It is time to take direct political action to further highlight these issues."

Rise members said there are more residential properties lying empty for more than six months than there are homeless applications made in a year.

The occupiers also said they would escort anyone who needs help to the "appropriate services" if they asked for support and also warned they would repeat their tactics if nothing changes.

The spokesperson added: "These figures show that the majority of people facing homelessness could be housed over the winter months. As these buildings lie empty, working class people forced out onto the streets of our biggest cities are dying. We believe this is unacceptable.

"We believe that only the mass building of publicly owned housing will stand a chance of eradicating homelessness permanently. You can support this by signing our petition to build 100,000 publicly owned houses here

"We invite politicians from all parties, Glasgow city council and those who work on the front line of homeless services to come down and provide support to anyone who may seek shelter during the occupation. If the need arises we will accompany anyone seeking emergency accommodation to the appropriate services by marching from the occupation to appropriate services.

"If this action does not provide the appropriate political stimulus to ensure that everyone is housed during the winter months we are fully prepared to repeat these tactics and others until we feel appropriate action has been taken."

Meanwhile, more than £3.5m was raised for the homeless in Edinburgh at the weekend, as thousands slept outside overnight despite sub-zero temperatures.