Candidates and Constituency Assessments

'Last month he (Gordon Brown) announced he would be supporting England throughout this year's competition and that one of his favourite football memories was Paul Gascoigne's goal against Scotland in Euro '96. This came as a surprise to Charlie Whelan, his former spin doctor, who pointed out that after the Auld Enemy beat Scotland 2-0 in 1999 Brown was so upset the two "did not speak for weeks".' Chris Deerin in Scotland on Sunday, 11 th June 2006.

Coatbridge & Chryston (Central Scotland Region)

Candidates

	Julie McAnulty (Not standing on Central Scotland list)
	Independent Health candidate
	Julie graduated from Glasgow University in 1992 with an MA in music and Scottish Literature. She initially set out to pursue a career in music; she taught and played in a variety of groups ranging from miners choirs and ceilidlh bands, to cathedral choirs and string quartets. She also has an interest in writing and has twice been shortlisted for the McCash poetry prize. Her mother's illness, Alzheimers, and the closure of nursing homes in her area (Coatbridge) prompted her to join North Lanarkshire Carers Together and get involved in issues of carers' rights and care of the elderly. When the proposed downgrade of Monklands was mooted, she joined the campaign to save all three A&Es in Lanarkshire and through this, joined the Scottish Health Campaign Network. For the next few months she worked with Dr Jean Turner and Dr Robert Cumming on the hospital closures and was a delegate in talks with Andy Kerr and Lewis McDonald. Julie decided to stand as an independent health candidate when it became clear that the government was intent on pursuing the A&E closures, and when the local MSPs abstained in the vote on Monklands hospital. Julie sees the future of the NHS as the overwhelming issue for the coming May election. She believes that the next couple of years will decide whether or not the NHS stays as a public service and that now is the time to stand up and be counted, to safeguard its future. In particular, she is opposed to PFI (Private Finance Initiative), a method of borrowing money from the private sector that has left her health authority with £1billion to pay back on a £200 million loan, and has left other health boards in a similar predicament. If elected, she will vehemently oppose it. Recent electoral experience
	Cllr Gaille McCann (Also number 2 on Central Scotland list)
	NHSFirst Party
	Ms McCann was a founding member of the Mothers Against Drugs campaign and has been a consistent critic of what she claims has been the Scottish Executive's inaction on dealing with the drugs problem. She was the Labour Cllr for Queenslie in Glasgow since 1995. In 1999 she had a majority of 395 but in 2003 this was cut to just 12 over Independent John Kerr. She announced she would be standing for NHSFirst on the 31 st March 2007. Recent electoral experience As a Labour Party candidate 2003 Glasgow City Council election, Queenslie, 564 votes (37.88 %) (elected) 1999 Glasgow City Council election, Queenslie, 939 votes (46.44 %) (elected) 1995 Glasgow City Council election, Queenslie, 1,010 votes (48.65 %) (elected)
	Frances McGlinchey (Also number 8 on Central Scotland list)
	Scottish National Party (Save Monklands Hospital)
	Frances has lived all her life in the Coatbridge & Chryston Constituency. The daughter of a former miner and steelworker she became involved in politics at the tender age of 15. Educated at St Ambrose high in Coatbridge she went on to Queens college then Bell College gaining a Post graduate qualification in Personnel. Frances has worked on environmental matters, anti nuclear and peace issues since the eighties. Involved in the SNP trade union group and Unison Frances has in the past been involved in trade union forums at a national and international level. Married to John Wilson since 1982 they have a 16 year old daughter and now live in Glenboig. Frances graduated with a BA(hons) in 1996 and since has worked in the field of employment and disabilitiy. Currently Frances manages a service that supports people with mental health issues for a local mental health charity. Frances has been involved in the Save the Monklands A&E campaign and recognises the need to ensure that the people of Coatbridge & Chryston have A&E available locally and only a SNP administiration at Holyrood can now save essential health services for the area. Recent electoral experience 2005 Westminster parliament election, Stirling, 5,503 votes (12.60 %) 2003 North Lanarkshire Council election, Blairpark, 641 votes (41.44 %)
	Doreen Nisbet (Not standing on Central Scotland list)
	Liberal Democrat
	Doreen Nisbet worked for many years in the voluntary sector, latterly for 6 years as project manager of an Urban Aid training programme in Edinburgh and the Lothians. In 1997 she became PA to Donald Gorrie when he was an MP, later moving to work for him as MSP in Central Scotland. She is married with 3 sons. In 2003 she contested Coatbridge & Chryston, coming fifth. Recent electoral experience 2003 Scottish Parliament election, Coatbridge & Chryston, 1,637 votes (6.86 %)
	Elaine Smith MSP (Not standing on Central Scotland list)
	Labour
	Elaine Smith was born on the 7 th May 1963 in Coatbridge and educated at St Patrick's School in Coatbridge, Glasgow College where she graduated with a BA (Hons) in Economics & Politics and St Andrews Teacher Training College in Glasgow where she did Postgraduate Teacher Training in Modern Studies & Economics. Before her election she worked as a Volunteers manager in a Scottish Office pilot project in primary health care and as a Secondary School teacher. She is married and is a member of the GTC and the TGWU. She is the Convener of the Autistic Spectrum Disorder Group and the Cross-Party Group on Cuba. She is also the Convener of Labour's Campaign for Socialism (CfS). Ministerial positions None Recent electoral experience 2003 Scottish Parliament election, Coatbridge & Chryston, 13,422 votes (56.25 %) (elected) 1999 Scottish Parliament election, Coatbridge & Chryston, 17,923 votes (59.35 %) (elected)
	Ross Thomson (Not standing on Central Scotland list)
	Conservative & Unionist
	Ross Thomson is aged 19 and is a student of politics and international relations at Aberdeen University. He works part time in a supermarket. He is a keen scuba diver and also enjoys reading, films, leafleting and nights out with freinds. Upon his selection in November 2006, he commented: "I am delighted to be selected as the candidate for the Coatbridge and Chryston constituency. I relish the opportunity to fight for local people and hold the Labour Party to account. They have neglected this area for too long. I promise to be a strong voice for Coatbridge and Chryston and I vow to fight our corner." Recent electoral experience.

Constituency profile

Assessment:

This assessment is based on the 2003 election results

Rank on Scottish National Party hit list: 60 (62 in 2003)
Swing required for Scottish National Party gain: 17.96 % from Labour to Scottish National Party

Rank on Conservative hit list: 66 (70 in 2003)
Swing required for Conservative gain: 23.85 % from Labour to Conservative

Rank on Liberal Democrat hit list: 51 (61 in 2003)
Swing required for Liberal Democrat gain: 22.12 % from Labour to Liberal Democrat

Correlation to the new Westminster constituencies

The electorate of 52,205 was split between the new Westminster constituencies of:
Coatbridge, Chryston & Bellshill: 47,990 (91.9 %)
Dunbartonshire East: 3,070 (5.9 %)
Cumbernauld, Kilsyth & Kirkinlilloch East 735 (1.4 %)
Airdrie & Shotts 410 (0.8 %)

Local Government wards in the constituency

Previous results

1 st May 2003 Holyrood Election - Constituency result

Electorate 51,521. Turnout 23,862, 46.32 % (- 11.56 %)
Logo	Party	Candidate	Votes	%	% change
	Labour	Elaine Smith MSP	13,422	56.25 %	- 3.10 %
	Scottish National Party	James Gribben	4,851	20.33 %	- 4.57 %
	Conservative & Unionist	Donald Reece	2,041	8.55 %	- 0.94 %
	Scottish Socialist Party	Gordon Martin	1,911	8.01 %	(+ 8.01 %)
	Liberal Democrat	Doreen Nisbit	1,637	8.01 %	+ 1.75 %
	Labour hold	Labour majority	8,571	35.92 %	+ 1.47 %

1 st May 2003 Holyrood Election - Regional list result

Electorate 51,521. Turnout 23,882, 46.35 % 169 rejected ballotpapers
Logo	Party	Votes	%	% change
	Labour	11,036	46.21 %	- 2.46 %
	Scottish National Party	4,079	17.08 %	- 5.78 %
	Conservative & Unionist Party	1,839	7.70 %	- 0.64 %
	Scottish Socialist Party	1,936	8.11 %	+ 5.71 %
	Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party	1,591	6.66 %	(+ 6.66 %)
	Liberal Democrats	1,315	5.51 %	- 0.11 %
	Scottish Green Party	1,119	4.69 %	- 2.68 %
	Socialist Labour Party	465	1.95 %	- 0.91 %
	Scottish Unionist Party	228	0.95 %	- 0.12 %
	Scottish Peoples Alliance	98	0.41 %	(+ 0.41 %)
	Mary Anderson (Independent)	98	0.41%
	UK Independence Party	78	0.33 %	(+ 0.33 %)
	Labour majority	6,957	29.13 %	+ 3.32 %

6 th May 1999 Holyrood Election - Constituency result

Logo	Party	Candidate	Votes	%	% change
	Labour	Elaine Smith	17,923	59.35 %	- 8.97 %
	Scottish National Party	Peter Kearney	7,519	24.90 %	+ 7.88 %
	Conservative & Unionist	Gordon Lind	2,867	9.49 %	+ 0.94 %
	Liberal Democrat	Jane Hook	1,889	6.26 %	+ 0.81 %
	Labour win	Labour majority	10,404	34.45 %	- 16.85 %

6 th May 1999 Holyrood Election - Regional list result

Logo	Party	Votes	%
	Labour	14,704	48.67 %
	Scottish National Party	6,905	22.86 %
	Conservative & Unionist Party	2,518	8.34 %
	Liberal Democrats	1,698	5.62 %
	Member of Parliament for Falkirk West	1,403	4.64 %
	Socialist Labour Party	864	2.86 %
	Scottish Socialist Party	726	2.40 %
	Scottish Green Party	607	2.01 %
	Scottish Unionist Party	323	1.07 %
	ProLife Alliance	288	0.95 %
	Natural Law Party	72	0.24 %
	Others: Scottish Families & Pensioners Party Independent Progressive (Breakdown not available)	101	0.33 %
	Labour majority	7,799	25.81 %

1 st May 1997 Westminster Election

Logo	Party	Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	Tom Clarke	25,697	68.32 %
	Scottish National Party	Brian Nugent	6,402	17.02 %
	Conservative & Unionist	Andrew Wauchope	3,216	8.55 %
	Liberal Democrat	Morag Daly	2,048	5.45 %
	Referendum	Bernard Bowsley	249	0.66%
	Labour hold	Labour majority	19,295	51.30 %

Links

• Ross Thomson (Conservative)