Falkirk's new MP Euan Stainbank looks ahead to the challenge he faces in new role

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Life is suddenly very different for 24-year-old Euan Stainbank. The councillor for Falkirk South is now also one of the 37 Scottish Labour MPs who were part of a Labour landslide that saw the party win 412 seats nationally.

The Falkirk result wasn’t one that many would have predicted at the start of the campaign – overturning an SNP majority of nearly 15,000.

But the new MP firmly believes that his campaign was won on doorsteps across the Falkirk area, and that his record and experience as a local councillor helped to persuade many to trust him with their vote.

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“Back in January, I was under no illusion about the size of the majority we had to overturn,” he said.

New Falkirk MP Euan Stainbank pictured with his mum Susan McElroy, girlfriend Innes Murray and dad Duncan Stainbank. Pic: Michael GillenNew Falkirk MP Euan Stainbank pictured with his mum Susan McElroy, girlfriend Innes Murray and dad Duncan Stainbank. Pic: Michael Gillen
New Falkirk MP Euan Stainbank pictured with his mum Susan McElroy, girlfriend Innes Murray and dad Duncan Stainbank. Pic: Michael Gillen

“But I started getting more optimistic with the reception we were getting on the doors – especially in my own ward.”

The questions he was being asked over and over again on the campaign trail, he says, were: “Who are you? What have you done? What are you going to do?”

His answer was to point to the work he – along with his Labour group colleagues – have been doing since he was first elected to Falkirk Council, two years ago.

“I genuinely think that’s what won the campaign,” he says.

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Councillor Euan Stainbank, front right, and Councilor Jack Redmond, middle row, right, with members of FIRST team. Pic: ContributedCouncillor Euan Stainbank, front right, and Councilor Jack Redmond, middle row, right, with members of FIRST team. Pic: Contributed
Councillor Euan Stainbank, front right, and Councilor Jack Redmond, middle row, right, with members of FIRST team. Pic: Contributed

“I think people are more interested in what you are going to do right now, rather than what ideology you have for 10, or 15 years time.”

One of the issues that came up “time and time again” on the doorsteps was the consultation on reducing school hours across Falkirk district as a way to cut spending on education.

After the election, the SNP candidate, Toni Giugliano, admitted on social media that “proposals to cut school hours and the closure of community centres by an SNP administration severely damaged our campaign”.

Euan said: “Throughout the campaign and even now it is still the biggest issue that people are talking about,” he said.

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Councillors Euan Stainbank and Billy Buchanan join striking cleansing workers on the picket line at Roughmute in 2022. Pic: ContributedCouncillors Euan Stainbank and Billy Buchanan join striking cleansing workers on the picket line at Roughmute in 2022. Pic: Contributed
Councillors Euan Stainbank and Billy Buchanan join striking cleansing workers on the picket line at Roughmute in 2022. Pic: Contributed

“It’s still something I’m massively opposed to – it will be incredibly damaging in the long-term,”

“It’s going to have a massive economic impact. I know that town centre businesses are worrying about their staffing levels on Friday afternoons – I know parents are massively worried about it.

As “a Falkirk bairn through and through”, he believes he understands local priorities and he’s had a few friendly warnings “not to get too caught up in London”.

Euan joined the Labour Party at the age of 15 after campaigning for Better Together in the 2014 referendum.

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While some people may have questioned his youth, he believe his “real-life experience as a young person going through the education system in Scotland” has been invaluable.

After completing his law degree, he imagined a career as a solicitor would follow, but his decision to stand as a councillor in 2022 has seen him follow a different path.

Euan’s family are not political and while they are proud of what he has achieved, they are also a little surprised.

“I care about Falkirk immeasurably,” he says, when asked what made him stand as a councillor.

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“I ran three surgeries a week as a councillor because I believe you need to get stuck in and you need to be there, fighting people’s corner.”

His work as a local member also won endorsements from people who saw for themselves his hard work and determination to “making things better”.

The campaign he is perhaps proudest of saw Euan and Labour colleague Jack Redmond determined to find a way to keep school swimming pools open in Falkirk.

Keeping the pools open, however, meant raising some prices sharply – and they were soon made aware of the impact this could have on some swimming teams.

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Euan said: “I remember we were contacted on the Saturday and by the Sunday morning, myself and Jack were meeting all the swimming clubs in a room saying ‘right, we want to hear about your concerns’ – ‘what’s an alternative to make sure this is financially sustainable’?

“I think people appreciate that – obviously you have to listen to council officers and their expertise but you also have to listen to people it’s impacting and use your role and influence and potentially come to a compromise position.”

Helping people, he says, gives the “highest of high satisfaction”, although it is frustrating that it is not always possible.

“It’s what motivates me – that feeling of satisfaction when you get something done for somebody.

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He is all too aware that all councillors are working against a backdrop of the huge challenges facing council budgets and public finance in general.

“I am aware that there are things you aren’t able to get things done for whatever reason, such as budgets, but all you can do is try your hardest and that’s what I’ve done for the last two years.”

In his new role, he intends to continue helping individuals and he’s already looking for a new office that will be easily accessible to constituents.

Another issue that came up again and again was the cost of living increases that have left many people struggling.

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He believes Labour’s ‘laser focus’ on growing the economy will “be huge in terms of what we can do”.

“The people of Falkirk I have been speaking to were looking for serious proposals about how we can navigate this in the long-term,” he said.

“People wanted a serious plan for the serious times we live in.”

For the moment, he remains a councillor and although there will be a by-election at some point, “it’s not imminent”.

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He will, however, “relinquish my allowance from the day I was elected” as soon as possible.

“I don’t think it’s right to be taking money for the two elected positions that I hold,” he said.

So, while he’s finding his feet in Westminster – readily admitting he’s been lost a couple of times in the ‘rabbit warren’ of a building – he’s also continuing to deal with enquiries about issues such as a housing allocations.

He also intends to focus on another topic he heard all too often on the doorsteps – concerns about anti-social behaviour.

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As an MP, he hopes to work with colleagues in other parties as well as building on relationships with partners such as Police Scotland.

“I’m not just going to be speaking to the people who voted for me – I’m going to speaking to everybody in Falkirk about how we can be working together to lead to better outcomes and fight our corner.”

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