Candidates and Constituency Assessments

'First Minister Jack McConnell has made clear his big idea for the Scottish elections next year is law and order. If so, prepare for an SNP-LibDem coalition, for the war on crime is going about as badly right now as Tony Blair's war on terror.' Iain MacWhirter in the Sunday Herald, 2 nd July 2006.

Motherwell & Wishaw (Central Scotland Region)

Candidates

	Stuart Douglas (Also number 6 on Central Scotland list)
	Liberal Democrat
	Stuart Douglas is 18 years old and is believed to be the youngest candidates in the election. This follows a change in the law that restricted candidates for Westminster or Holyrood to 21 or over. He is studying law at Glasgow University. His father works for the Royal Mail and his mother is a special needs assistant,. Recent electoral experience
	Marion Fellows (Also number 8 on Central Scotland list)
	Scottish National Party (Save Monklands Hospital)
	The local SNP Constituency Branch of the party unanimously adopted local campaigner Marion Fellows at a meeting in Netherton. Marion has a long record of winning local campaigns. She has successfully fought the plans of the Labour council to close classrooms in her children's school, and was previously Secretary of the Community Council in Bellshill. As a college lecturer, Marion is an active member of the EIS at a local and national level and is the previous branch chairman at West Lothian College. Marion lives in Wishaw, and is married with three children, who all attended local schools. Speaking following her selection, Mrs Fellows said: "I'm delighted to have been chosen to represent the SNP in the election in my home town of Wishaw. I have lived in Lanarkshire for over thirty years, so I know the issues that matter to people in this community. Only the SNP can beat the Labour Party here. With the anti-Scottish Tories in terminal decline and Labour's little helpers the Lib Dems in sixth place here at the last election, it's a straight choice between me and the Labour candidate. According to this week's Sunday newspapers, even Jack McConnell believes that he'll be beaten by the SNP next year. "Labour has had their chance at changing this area for the better and have failed. When I moved to Wishaw we had a local cinema, a thriving market and a bustling town centre. Now our town centre is a disgrace and people are leaving to shop in places like Hamilton and East Kilbride. "Despite the new hospital on our doorstep, local people are still waiting too long for treatment on the NHS, especially for accident and emergency care where some patients have had to wait for up to twenty hours for treatment. Unlike local Labour politicians I support a full range of services at all our local hospitals." Recent electoral experience
	Diane Huddleston (Also number 9 on Central Scotland list)
	Conservative & Unionist
	Diane Huddlestone lives at Eastriggs in Dumfriesshire. There was a Diane Huddleston who was dismissed as a Tory Cllr from Lancaster City Council in early 1997 after failing to attend council meetings for six months. We do not know is this is the same person or not. Recent electoral experience.
	Richard Leat (Not standing on Central Scotland list)
	Anti-Trident Party
	Richard Leat is 58 and is a self-employed builder from Edinburgh. He launched the the Anti-Trident Party as a focus for opposition to the renewal of Britain's nuclear deterrent, which a majority of Scottish MPs voted against. He said "The Scottish Parliament has the power to stop Trident through its planning and health and safety powers. If it chose, it could make it impossible for Trident to be established here." Recent electoral experience
	Rt Hon Jack McConnell MSP (Not standing on Central Scotland list)
	Labour
	Born in Irvine in 1960, Jack McConnell grew up on a sheep farm in Arran. He was educated at Arran High School, Lamlash then went on to gain a BSc Dip Ed at the University of Stirling where he was also president of the Students Association. Jack McConnell was a maths teacher for nine years from 1983 and a member of Stirling District Council between 1984 and 1992. During his time on the Council he was Treasurer (1988-92) and Leader for the final two years. As General Secretary of the Scottish Labour Party (1992-1998), Mr McConnell managed the 1997 election success and he co-ordinated Labour's Yes Yes referendum campaign in September of the same year. He was a member of the Scottish Constitutional Convention (1989-98) and was appointed as Labour's environmental affairs spokesperson for the 1999 Scottish election where he was returned as MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw. He served as Finance Minister and then Education Minister before becoming Scotland's third First Minister in November 2001. After the 2003 election he was again nominated by the Parliament to hold the post. Mr McConnell is married to Bridget and has one daughter and a son. He enjoys listening to music, playing golf and watching football. He is a member of the GMB and Amnesty International. Jack McConnell helped launch this website when he presented it to television cameras, journalists and press photographers in a Labour Press conferernce on the 19 th August 1996. Ministerial experience May 1999 - October 2000 - Minister for Finance October 2000 - November 2001 - Minister for Education, Europe & External Affairs November 2001 - First Minister of Scotland Labour Party experience 1992 - 1998 General Secretary of the Scottish Labour Party Council experience 1990 - 1992 - Leader of Stirling District Council Recent electoral experience 2003 Scottish Parliament election, Motherwell & Wishaw, 13,739 votes (54.12 %) (elected) 1999 Scottish Parliament election, Motherwell & Wishaw, 13,955 votes (45.96 %) (elected) 1992 Stirling District Council election, Logie, 708 votes (44.22 %) (elected) 1988 Stirling District Council election, (elected) 1987 Westminster Parliament election, Perth & Kinross, 7,490 votes (15.86 %) 1984 Stirling District Council election, (elected)
	Thomas Selfridge (Also number 1 on Central Scotland list)
	Scottish Christian Party
	The Scottish Christian Party's constituency candidate and head of the Central Region list is former Wishaw Labour councillor, Tom Selfridge. He resigned from the Council and the Labour Party in January 2007. Mr Selfridge, who describes himself as more 'true Labour' than 'New Labour' says 'The policies of the Scottish executive, led by Jack McConnell, have demonstrated to me that there is no place for Christians in today's New Labour movement. I have been left with no choice but to leave the Labour Party and join the Scottish Christian Party.' Mr Selfridge, who was brought up a Catholic, added, 'We have even seen 'Divine' intervention here in Motherwell. I mean our local Catholic Bishop Devine who has declared that he will not be voting Labour. It is my hope that Bishop Devine will see fit to vote for and support me, at least for the constituency battle.' Recent electoral experience As a Labour Party candidate 2003 North Lanarkshire Council election, Cambusnethan, 871 votes (48.17 %) (elected) 1999 North Lanarkshire Council election, Cambusnethan, 898 votes (41.04 %) (elected) 1995 North Lanarkshire Council election, Cambusnethan, 1,034 votes (52.51 %) (elected)
	John Swinburne MSP (Also number 1 on Central Scotland list)
	Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party
	John Swinburne was born on the 4 th July 1930 in Pennsylvania in the USA. The family returned to Scotland when he was seven and he was educated at Dalziel High School in Motherwell. He worked as a mechanical engineer and has also been a freelance journalist. He was Commercial Manager and Press Officer and is currently a Director of Motherwell Football Club. He runs his own consultancy business, the Swinburne Agency. He has written three books, including the history of the Fir Park club. He is married, a Christian and a member of the National Union of Journalists. He formed the SSCUP in early 2003, stating that "Unity" referred to the "United Kingdom" and was elected as the sexth Central Scotion regional MSP. In the parliament he is Co-Convener of the Cross-Party Group on Affordable Housing andÊDeputy Convener of the Cross-Party Groups on Loss of Consultant Led Services in Scotland -Solutions, Lupus, M.E., Scotland's Financial Future, Sports and Tobacco Control Recent electoral experience 2003 Scottish Parliament election, Motherwell & Wishaw, 1,597 votes (6.29 %) 2003 Scottish Parliament election, First on SSCUP Central Scotland list, 17,146 votes (6.52 %) (elected)

Constituency profile

Assessment:

This assessment is based on the 2003 election results

Rank on Scottish National Party hit list: 61 (35 in 2003)
Swing required for Scottish National Party gain: 18.24 % from Labour to Scottish National Party

Rank on Conservative hit list: 63 (37 in 2003)
Swing required for Conservative gain: 22.06 % from Labour to Conservative

Rank on Liberal Democrat hit list: 56 (40 in 2003)
Swing required for Liberal Democrat gain: 24.96 % from Labour to Liberal Democrat

Correlation to the new Westminster constituencies

The electorate of 52,829 was split between the new Westminster constituencies of:
Motherwell & Wishaw: 52,829 (100 %)

Local Government wards in the constituency

Previous results

1 st May 2003 Holyrood Election - Constituency result

Electorate 51,785. Turnout 25,388, 49.03 % (- 8.63 %)
Logo	Party	Candidate	Votes	%	% change
	Labour	Jack McConnell MSP	13,739	54.12 %	+ 8.21 %
	Scottish National Party	Lloyd Quinan MSP	4,480	17.65 %	- 11.62 %
	Conservative & Unionist	Mark Nolan	2,542	10.01 %	- 2.17 %
	Scottish Socialist Party	John Milligan	1,961	7.72 %	(+ 7.72 %)
	Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party	John Swinburne	1,597	6.29 %	(+ 6.29 %)
	Liberal Democrat	Keith Legg	1,069	4.21 %	- 2.04 %
	Labour hold	Labour majority	9,259	36.47 %	+ 19.84 %

1 st May 2003 Holyrood Election - Regional list result

Electorate 51,785. Turnout 25,373, 49.00 % 129 rejected ballot papers
Logo	Party	Votes	%	% change
	Labour	11,195	44.12 %	+ 3.04 %
	Scottish National Party	4,330	17.07 %	- 11.16 %
	Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party	2,663	10.50 %	(+ 10.50 %)
	Conservative & Unionist Party	2,299	9.06 %	- 1.36 %
	Scottish Socialist Party	2,077	9.19 %	+ 6.39 %
	Liberal Democrats	1,166	4.60 %	- 2.39 %
	Scottish Green Party	921	3.63 %	+ 1.63 %
	Socialist Labour Party	328	1.29 %	- 5.77 %
	Scottish Unionist Party	189	0.74 %	- 0.05 %
	Scottish Peoples Alliance	83	0.33 %	(+ 0.33 %)
	UK Independence Party	69	0.27 %	(+ 0.27 %)
	Mary Anderson (Independent)	53	0.21 %
	Labour majority	6,865	27.06 %	+ 14.21 %

6 th May 1999 Holyrood Election - Constituency result

Logo	Party	Candidate	Votes	%	% change
	Labour	Jack McConnell	13,955	45.96 %	- 11.44 %
	Scottish National Party	Jim McGuigan	8,879	29.24 %	+ 6.77 %
	Conservative &Unionist	William Gibson	3,694	12.17 %	+ 1.18 %
	Socialist Labour	John Milligan	1,941	6.39 %	+ 4.21 %
	Liberal Democrat	Roger Spillane	1,895	6.24 %	- 0.13 %
	Labour win	Labour majority	5,076	16.72 %	- 18.21 %

6 th May 1999 Holyrood Election - Regional list result

Logo	Party	Votes	%
	Labour	12,445	41.08 %
	Scottish National Party	8,553	28.23 %
	Conservative & Unionist Party	3,158	10.42 %
	Liberal Democrats	2,119	6.99 %
	Socialist Labour Party	1,641	6.99 %
	Member of Parliament for Falkirk West	615	2.03 %
	Scottish Socialist Party	545	1.80 %
	Scottish Green Party	788	2.00 %
	ProLife Alliance	300	0.99 %
	Scottish Unionist Party	239	0.79 %
	Natural Law Party	60	0.20 %
	Others: Scottish Families & Pensioners Party Independent Progressive (Breakdown not available)	184	0.61 %
	Labour majority	3,892	12.85 %

1 st May 1997 Westminster Election

Logo	Party	Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	Frank Roy	21,020	57.40 %
	Scottish National Party	James McGuigan	8,229	22.47 %
	Conservative & Unionist	Scott Dickson	4,024	10.99 %
	Liberal Democrat	Alex Mackie	2,331	6.37 %
	Socialist Labour Party	Chris Herriot	797	2.18%
	Referendum	Thomas Russell	218	0.60%
	Labour hold	Labour majority	12,791	34.93 %

Links

• Marion Fellows Blog (Scottish National Party)
  
  
• marion.fellows@snp.org E.mail Marion Fellows