By-election
Voters go to polls in November
Voters in Rutherglen Central and North will go to the polls in a by-election on November 23 after Gerard Killen MP resigned as a councillor.
Mr Killen had vowed to stand down from his role after winning the Rutherglen and Hamilton West seat in June’s general election.
Voters in Rutherglen Central and North will go to the polls in a by-election on November 23 after Gerard Killen MP resigned as a councillor.
Mr Killen had vowed to stand down from his role after winning the Rutherglen and Hamilton West seat from the SNP in June’s general election.
He handed in his resignation letter to chief executive Lindsay Freeland on Friday, a move that triggered the by-election.
The seat is likely to be closely fought. The SNP and Tories hold the other two seats in the ward and Labour will be keen not to lose a councillor.
After confirming he was standing down, Mr Killen said: “I would like to thank my council colleagues across all parties, the employees at South Lanarkshire Council and, most of all, the people in this community who have put their trust in me and continue to do so.
“It has been a privilege to represent Rutherglen as a local councillor since February 2013 but, having been elected as an MP in June this year, it’s only fair that the people of Rutherglen Central and North get the opportunity to choose a new elected representative to stand up for their interests at a council level.
“I would like to wish all of the candidates well for what I hope will be a comradely byelection campaign and I wish my successor all the best for the future.”
Labour are set to confirm who will stand for them this week.
Martin Lennon stood alongside Mr Killen in May’s local government election, but failed to be elected.
The SNP already have Janine Calikes representing them in the ward. Former councillor Gordon Clark, who lost out in May, has indicated his desire to be a candidate but no decision has been made.
Jared Wark won a seat for the Conservatives in the ward in May. Taylor Muir is likely to stand for the Tories this time having stood in Rutherglen at previous elections.
The Liberal Democrats have confirmed their candidate.
Ellen Bryson, a former geography teacher at Stonelaw, stood in the Cambuslang East ward in May.
Last week she was given the backing of the Lib Dem’s Scottish leader, Willie Rennie, who visited the ward to campaign.
Ms Bryson said: “It was great to have Willie Rennie backing our campaign and he was very well received by local people in Bankhead and the west end.
“As far as I am concerned, local council elections are all about local issues and we got a lot of matters raised ranging from traffic and parking issues, graffiti and overhanging trees to dog fouling and the maintenance of houses.”
The Scottish Greens have also confirmed they will field a candidate. Brian Finlay stood for the party in Rutherglen South last time around.