Falkirk Council SNP colleagues go head to head in MSP candidate battle

Council leader Cecil Meiklejohn and Councillor Laura Murtagh are two of the four hopefuls looking to be selected to fight for MSP Angus MacDonald’s vacant seat at next year’s Scottish elections.
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Councillors Meiklejohn and Murtagh are joined by Sue Friel and Michelle Thomson in the all female fight to find out who will go forward to battle for Mr MacDonald’s Falkirk East MSP seat.

Mr MacDonald announced in June he would not be seeking re-election in 2021.

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He said: “It has been an enormous honour and privilege to serve the people of Grangemouth at council level, with the subsequent pinnacle of that honour representing Falkirk East in the Scottish Parliament for the past nine years.

Falkirk Council leader Cecil Meiklejohn is hoping to be selected by the SNP to fight for the Falkirk East MSP seatFalkirk Council leader Cecil Meiklejohn is hoping to be selected by the SNP to fight for the Falkirk East MSP seat
Falkirk Council leader Cecil Meiklejohn is hoping to be selected by the SNP to fight for the Falkirk East MSP seat

The four Falkirk East hopefuls are just a fraction of the 144 people racing to become official SNP candidates across 32 Scottish constituencies.

Councillor Meiklejohn said: “Having been brought up in Bo’ness and Grangemouth, and currently represent Falkirk district as Leader of Falkirk Council, I am a local candidate who always puts the needs of our communities first.”

Councillor Murtagh: “After 23 years campaigning for independence as an SNP member, I believe I have the experience, passion and drive to fight for the unique needs of local people and argue passionately for a socially just, sustainable and Independent Scotland.”

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Michelle Thomson, a former MP, said: “I have been an independence supporter all my life having joined the SNP aged 16.”

Sue Friel: “I want us to build a fair and equitable Scotland, with a sustainable economy and well being at its core and only independence can give us the powers to do this.”