JOHN Swinney is set to kick off the SNP’s campaign for the by-election being held after the death of Christina McKelvie MSP.
The Scottish Government minister and MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse passed away last month at the age of 57.
On Tuesday, it was confirmed that the by-election to replace her as the MSP will take place on June 5.
The First Minister will join the SNP’s candidate, local councillor Katy Loudon, and other activists in Hamilton on Saturday.
Ahead of the visit, he said: “I'm in Hamilton today to kick off the first weekend of campaigning in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election.
"Of course, the by-election has been called following the incredibly sad passing of our friend Christina McKelvie. Christina was a phenomenal local MSP who always put her constituents first and stood up for the people of Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse.
"Today I will join Katy Loudon who is our outstanding SNP candidate in this by-election. Voters can trust that Katy will follow in Christina's footsteps as a local champion should she be elected.
"Under my leadership that's what you can always expect from the SNP - a party who will always put the priorities of Scotland first.”
Swinney said the same could not be said of Scottish Labour, “who have chosen to spend their first year in office scrapping winter heating support for pensioners, cutting essential support for people who are unable to work, pushing thousands more into poverty and failing to take any action on rising household energy bills”.
He continued: "We've learnt that Labour promises are worthless. People are rightly angry, and this by-election is an opportunity for voters to give Labour a wake up call.
“Vote SNP on June 5 to deliver real progress and let Keir Starmer know that Scotland won’t stand for his damaging agenda of cuts."
Loudon, a South Lanarkshire councillor, was previously the candidate in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West Westminster seat at both the election last summer and the by-election in 2023.
Announced as the candidate on Monday, Loudon pledged to “work tirelessly to build on Christina’s incredible legacy” as she took aim at the UK Government.
“The SNP will continue to show the positive difference we can make when we have the powers to do so,” she said.
“Under John Swinney’s leadership, the SNP is focussed on the priorities of people across Scotland: whether that is delivering increased capacity in our NHS; making it easier for people to see their GP; bringing back universal winter heating support; or investing in economic growth.
“By contrast, Keir Starmer’s Labour Government has betrayed pensioners by taking away their winter fuel payment, they are damaging the economy and jobs with their hike on employer’s national insurance contributions, and people are seeing their energy bills rise despite Labour promising to cut them.
“These are real issues affecting people across the constituency – and Keir Starmer’s Westminster Government must be made to change course.”
Scottish Labour have announced Davy Russell as their candidate for the upcoming by-election.
Russell became deputy lord lieutenant of Lanarkshire in 2018 and worked for many years in local government.
He lives in the constituency and was raised in the former mining village of Quarter, attending Hamilton Grammar School.
