NORTH EAST FIFE

Constituency profiles

The Liberal Democrats have had a 30-year relationship with North East Fife.

Trust was shattered, however, when the SNP stole the hearts of its constituents and returned Stephen Gethins as the successor to former UK Liberal leader Sir Menzies Campbell.

Heartbreak was soothed somewhat by Scottish Lib Dem boss Willie Rennie reclaiming the Holyrood seat last year, and now the party hopes the seat has returned home after a brief, forgivable, affair.

They hope that candidate Elizabeth Riches, a councillor in the East Neuk for 27 years, who they will bring a local touch to proceedings.

The problem for the party, though, is it’s not just the SNP they are fighting.

Tory candidate Tony Miklinski is no stranger to electoral success, having more than doubled the Conservative first-preference votes to be elected as a Cupar councillor in the recent local elections.

SNP candidates across Scotland are looking over their shoulder nervously at the Conservatives.

Not so Gethins, who will hope there is just enough of a Tory revival across the constituency will split the unionist vote without overtaking him.

As the SNP’s Europe spokesman, he has a reasonably high profile and will be banking on his work speaking up for the likes of St Andrews University ahead of Brexit negotiations not going unnoticed.

A three-horse race that’s not worth the risk at the bookies, this is the most interesting election contest in Scotland, even if the central belt has largely forgotten about it. “North East Fife has the largest number of employees in Scotland earning less than the Living Wage – thus, Labour’s pledge to raise the minimum wage to £10 per hour and its promise to ban zero hours contracts and unpaid internships will be of direct benefit, especially to young people.

“In addition, Labour’s commitment to introduce rent control and to improve tenants’ rights, means that housing conditions will improve.

“If the SNP, in control of housing policy in Scotland, do not follow suit, this will make Scotland the part of the UK with the highest rents and the least security of tenure.”