Countdown is on to election day

On May 6, residents in South Lanarkshire will go to the polls to elect their MSPS for the next five years.

Over the next three weeks, we’ll be speaking to each of the candidates about what is important to them and to their prospective constituents.

Labour, the SNP, the Lib Dems and the Conservatives have all put forward candidates.

In Hamilton, Larkhall and

Stonehouse, incumbent Christina Mckelvie is again the SNP’S candidate after she was first elected in 2011.

Labour candidate Monica Lennon has been an MSP since 2016 having been elected as one of four Labour candidates on the Central Scotland list.

Hamilton West and Earnock councillor Mark Mcgeever is the Liberal Democrat candidate, while Motherwell West councillor Meghan Gallacher is standing for the Conservatives. In Bellshill and Uddingston, incumbent Richard Lyle is retiring after a decade as an MSP including the five years in Bellshill and Uddingston.

Two of the candidates looking to replace him are councillors, one in North Lanarkshire – Labour’s Frank Mcnally – and one in South Lanarkshire – SNP’S Stephanie Callaghan.

The Conservative candidate is Bryan Flannagan – councillor for Stirling East – while Dawn Allen is standing for the Liberal Democrats.

In Clydesdale, incumbent Aileen Campbell has announced she is stepping down after 14 years as an MSP, including the last decade in Clydesdale.

Looking to retain the seat for the SNP is lawyer Màiri Mcallan. Labour candidate Claudia Beamish has been a South Scotland MSP since 2011 and is looking to regain the seat for the party for the first time in a decade.

Clydesdale East councillor Eric Holford is standing for the Conservatives, while Amanda Kubie is the Liberal Democrat candidate.

This week we’ve asked them what they would do for education in the region if they were elected.