Second Tory surprised to be on ballot paper for council poll

THE Scottish Conservatives have been urged to clarify whether any of their council hopefuls were nominated illegally, after a second candidate said she was surprised to be on the ballot paper.

Jane Strang, the official Tory candidate in the Renfrew North and Braehead ward, said she found out her position from her mother. Writing on the Renfrew Unionists Facebook group, she said: “I was off ill for a very long time and did not know I was being put forward. Only found out from my mother receiving a postal vote.”

Last week a Tory candidate in Shetland urged people not to vote for him, after claiming he did not know how he got on the ballot. Thomas Williamson blamed a crackly line and people “doon south” for a mix-up but the party insisted he had signed his candidate papers.

An SNP spokesman said Ms Strang was the second Tory candidate to say they had been nominated without their knowledge, in breach of a legal requirement.

A Scottish Tory spokesman said she had signed the appropriate nomination forms and had officially become the candidate.