Scottish Lib Dem leader on campaign trail in Falkirk's High Street
The leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats was in Falkirk in a last-minute bid to woo voters.
One week before the country goes to the polls in the Scottish parliamentary elections, Alex Cole-Hamilton was joined on the campaign trail on Thursday by his party’s candidates Lucy Smith and Paul McGarry.
Paul McGarry is the party’s lead candidate for the Central Scotland and Lothians West regional list.
Made homeless at the age of 16, Paul was driven into politics by a desire to tackle the root causes of homelessness and support some of the poorest communities in his area.
For several years, he worked in youth projects across Scotland, including Falkirk, Lanark, Motherwell, East Kilbride and Hamilton.
He now works a senior business development manager at a national training provider, helping organisations across the UK improve health, safety and wellbeing.
As the Scottish Liberal Democrat spokesperson for housing and homelessness, he is a longstanding campaigner for new schools, new community centres and more affordable housing.
Lucy Smith is the party’s candidate for her home seat of Falkirk West and second on the Central Scotland and Lothians West regional list. She is a caseworker and political campaigner who has appeared in the national media raising concerns over A&E waiting times at NHS Forth Valley and job losses at Alexander Dennis.
Speaking as he met the public in the town centre, Mr Cole-Hamilton said: “I’m pleased to be campaigning in Falkirk today. People have been let down by the SNP Government and embarrassed by Michael Matheson’s iPad scandal and I want to offer them the chance for change with fairness at its heart.
“My party is committed to making high streets welcoming, a source of local price and economically successful, with more support for local authorities and measures to strengthen the Retail Crime Taskforce.
“Lucy and Paul would be excellent representatives for Falkirk and for Central Scotland. They are deeply compassionate and go-getting individuals, who I know will fight their hearts out for people.
"The Scottish Liberal Democrats believe Scotland deserves better. We believe in fairness for everyone, no matter who you are or where you come from. That’s why we have a realistic plan to get things done, delivering first-rate health care – so you can see your GP, dentist or mental health professional when you need them, helping you with the cost of living – insulating cold homes and using Scottish renewable energy to drive down household bills and getting Scotland moving again by fixing our roads, our ferries and our public transport.
“The voting system for the Scottish election means that there are no wasted votes on the regional ballot. Even if you would not normally back us on your constituency ballot paper, I am asking voters to back us on that peach regional ballot paper to get Paul and Lucy elected to parliament and end 19 years of SNP failure.”