Red-faced SNP candidate can’t remember seat he’s standing in
A CONFUSED SNP candidate has been branded a ‘laughing stock’ after telling voters at a hustings he was standing in another seat.
John Nicolson is hoping to win one of Nicola Sturgeon’s top target seats Ochil and South Perthshire – but was loudly booed after declaring he could beat the Tories in East Dunbartonshire.
The blundering ex-TV presenter was the MP for East Dunbartonshire between 2015 and 2017 but lost his seat at the last election to Jo Swinson.
Despite hoping to get back to Westminster, Mr Nicolson decided not to stand against the Lib Dem leader – even though he still lives in the constituency.
Speaking at a hustings in Alloa, Clackmannanshire, the Nationalist candidate told voters: ‘Please trust in me with your vote on December 12. As you know, only the Scottish National Party can beat the Tories here in East Dunbartonshire.’
The comment was met with booing, jeering and laughter from the audience.
Conservative Luke Graham – who won the seat in 2017 – looked stunned at the mix-up in a video which has been posted online.
Failing to realise or correct his mistake, Mr Nicolson continued: ‘And with all due respect to my Lib Dem and Labour colleagues here, the other parties lag far behind. I will work hard for you, I will always listen… thank you.’
It also emerged yesterday that Mr Nicolson has now attempted to stand in a total of six Westminster constituencies north of the Border since 2015. In the 2015 election, he tried to become the candidate in West Dunbartonshire, Linlithgow and East Falkirk, Midlothian, and North Ayrshire and Arran before finally winning East Dunbartonshire.
He is now standing in Ochil and South Perthshire amid claims he was ‘parachuted’ in to one of the party’s top targets.
Election papers submitted to Clackmannanshire Council confirm that Mr Nicolson continues to live at an ‘address in East Dunbartonshire’.
Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser said: ‘John Nicolson is now a laughing stock. It’s well known he was parachuted in to Ochil and South Perthshire last month by Nicola Sturgeon. You’d think by now that he would have worked out where he was.
‘People have had enough of SNP placemen thinking they can walk in with a God-given right to a seat.
‘In two weeks’ time, voters in Ochil and South Perthshire can tell Mr Nicolson to go home and think again – assuming he can find his way there.’
Mr Nicolson did not correct his blunder at the hustings and still would not apologise for his gaffe yesterday.
He said: ‘I made a slip of the tongue. We’re all human.
‘On December 12, voters in Ochil and South Perthshire will face the choice between a Tory candidate prepared to do whatever Boris Johnson tells him – trading away Scotland’s NHS to Donald Trump and taking Scotland out of the EU – or an SNP candidate who will act to protect Scotland from Boris Johnson and ensure we have a choice over our future.’
Miss Sturgeon has been out campaigning with Mr Nicolson.
She was forced to address accusations that she is trying to ‘pull the wool over voters’ eyes’ with candidates failing to mention an independence referendum
on their leaflets. The SNP leader dismissed the claims.
Former Nationalist MP for Ochil and South Perthshire Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh lost to Mr Graham in 2017.
She now appears alongside Alex Salmond on his RT television show.
Earlier this year, Mrs AhmedSheikh was rejected by the SNP as a suitable candidate for the European election. It came after she was found guilty of professional misconduct and fined £3,000 for failing to keep proper accounts of a trust while a partner at now defunct law firm Hamilton Burns.
It was agreed during the hearing that there was no suggestion of dishonesty or personal benefit.