POLLS APART
Leaders turn out early Final messages to voters
VOTING started early today with Glasgow politicians among the first to cast their votes.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon cast her vote and said voting SNP is the only way to ensure Scotland can be heard.
Ms Sturgeon arrived at Broomhouse Community Hall around 9am to cast her vote, along with husband Peter Murrell.
She urged the electorate to vote SNP and said: “It is the only way to ensure Scotland has a strong voice.”
The First Minister said she was “feeling good” ahead of the general election results, having been up since 6am preparing for the day.
She also spoke to constituents visiting the polling station, and chatted with Glasgow East candidate David Linden, who was also at the venue on Baillieston Road.
Mr Linden, who previously worked as a parliamentary assistant to Glasgow MP, Alison Thewliss, is hoping to represent the area following Natalie McGarry’s announcement that she would not be standing as a candidate in this year’s snap election after she was suspended by the SNP.
He said: “I want to make sure the SNP sends back as many MPs as possible to Westminster.
“Now, more than ever, it is so important that Scotland has a strong voice at Westminster and as an MP for Glasgow East that is exactly what I’ll be.”
Two police officers arrived around 8.45am and stood guard inside the polling station, while the First Minister’s private security guards monitored the front of the building.
James Crone had come to vote before work with his son.
The 37-year-old joiner said: “I’m voting for Labour. I didn’t last time but I do like Jeremy Corbyn and what he stands for.
“To be honest, anything is better than Theresa May. She has to go.
“I like the SNP too, but think it makes more sense to vote for a party that is across the whole UK.”
Helen Brown, 76, was also visiting the polling station this morning.
She said: “I want to vote SNP as I think they have done a lot for Scotland, and nobody else is speaking up for us.
“I voted the same last time too and the fellow who is their candidate here seems like he would do a good job.”
At Pollokshields Burgh Hall, Glasgow Labour MSP Anas Sarwar, cast his vote along with his wife, Furheen.
The couple were among, what party supporters outside described as a “trickle” early in the morning rain.
Mr Sarwar said the campaign has not panned out the way the Tories wanted.
He said: “The reality is when we started seven weeks ago the story was this was supposed to be the decimation of the Labour Party.
“But people have been engaged by the Labour manifesto and the hope offered by the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn.
“This is a chance to radically transform the country across the UK.”
The former Scottish Labour deputy leader said he hopes people can begin to move away from constitutional politics.
He added: “In Scotland there is still the old division of Yes/No.
“Rather than fight the old division of 2014, let’s focus on the division between the haves and have nots and focus on poverty and inequality.”
In Edinburgh Scottish Labour Leader, Kezia Dugdale arrived to vote at the Wilson Memorial Church in the east of the capital.
Ms Dugdale said: “By voting Labour today, people across Scotland can send Nicola Sturgeon a message to drop her plans for a divisive second independence referendum.”
Scottish Tory leader, Ruth Davidson’s final message was also to urge people to vote to oppose a new referendum.
The Tories are hoping for several gains across Scotland as they look to take the biggest share of the vote among people who want Scotland to stay in the UK.
Ms Davidson said: “With us it’s clear – no to a second referendum, no to more uncertainty, and no to the division it would cause our country.”