THE SNP have announced their candidate for the upcoming Holyrood 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.
Hundreds of mourners gathered on Friday for McKelvie's funeral, where she was described as a “fearless” and “relentless” fighter for kindness, equality and Scottish independence.
On Monday, the SNP announced local councillor Katy Loudon (below) as their candidate for the upcoming by-election.
Presiding officer Alison Johnstone informed the chief executive of South Lanarkshire Council that the ballot will be held on that date.
Loudon pledged to "build on the legacy" of McKelvie through her passion for social justice.
She said: "Christina McKelvie was one of the most committed and inspiring people I have ever known, and the outpouring of tributes we have seen since her sad passing are testament to her hard work on behalf of her constituents over many years. “I will work tirelessly to build on Christina's incredible legacy and, like Christina, I will always put the people of Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse first. "Times are tough for a lot of people right now, but this community has so much going for it, and I’m determined that we deliver a brighter future for everyone. "The SNP will continue to show the positive difference we can make when we have the powers to do so. "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.”
First Minister John Swinney said: “Katy is a well-regarded councillor and a champion of her community – and if elected by the people of Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, I have no doubt that she will make a fantastic MSP. “Times are difficult right now for many people, with many bills rising and a lot of uncertainty about the future. The SNP will be fighting a positive, can-do campaign in this election – we will be talking about how we are supporting people through tough times and we will be giving hope for a brighter future. “The SNP will be working tirelessly to build on Christina McKelvie’s outstanding work on behalf the people of Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse.”
Loudon was first elected to South Lanarkshire Council in 2017 and is the SNP's local government convenor.
Before becoming a councillor, Loudon worked as a primary school teacher for almost 10 years.
She previously stood in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West Westminster by-election in October 2023, which saw Michael Shanks become the second Scottish Labour MP in Scotland until last year's General Election.
Loudon also stood as a candidate in the newly-formed Rutherglen constituency during the General Election, again losing to Shanks.
