Labour candidate list gets the balance right – Kezia

SCOTTISH Labour has published its full list of General Election candidates, with a 50/50 gender split.

A selection panel headed by leader Kezia Dugdale has named 29 male and 29 female candidates as the party attempts to recover from 2015’s wipe out, which left it with only one MP north of the Border.

As the Conservatives enjoy a boost in the polls, a number of MSPs have put themselves forward to contest seats. Meanwhile, all sitting SNP MPs have been selected to defend their seats. Independents Michelle Thomson and Natalie McGarry will not stand again.

Blair McDougall, who was campaign director for Better Together during the 2014 independence referendum, is standing for Labour in East Renfrewshire, while former MSP Cara Hilton is the candidate for Dunfermline and West Fife.

Ms Dugdale said: “I’m delighted to unveil our list of candidates for the General Election, and as a co-founder of Women 50:50 I’m thrilled we have achieved gender balance.”

The Scottish Conservatives have yet to confirm a full list of their candidates.

MSP Douglas Ross, the party’s justice spokesman, will go head to head with Angus Robertson in Moray, as the Tories bid to clinch the SNP deputy leader’s seat.

High-profile SNP MP Joanna Cherry also faces a battle in Edinburgh South West, with Tory MSP Miles Briggs chosen for the race.

Elsewhere, Elizabeth Riches has been put forward by the Scottish Liberal Democrats as Willie Rennie’s party bids to retake North East Fife from the SNP’s Stephen Gethins. The constituency had been held by former leader Sir Menzies Campbell for 28 years.

Scotland’s sole Labour MP, Edinburgh South’s Ian Murray, faces a fight on two fronts from Tory candidate Stephanie Smith and a strong SNP contender, tipped to be former MSP Jim Eadie.

Alistair Carmichael will defend Orkney and Shetland for the Lib Dems.