THE Scottish Conservatives have not selected a General Election candidate for almost 25% of seats in Scotland.
A total of 13 (23%) of seats are yet to have a Tory candidate announced. Both the SNP and Scottish Labour have confirmed candidates for all seats, with the most recent list of candidates showing the Scottish Liberal Democrats currently have 23 candidates, whilst the Scottish Greens have 26.
The following seats currently have no Scottish Conservatives candidate.
- Airdrie and Shotts
- Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
- Coatbridge and Bellshill
- Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy
- Edinburgh North and Leith
- Glasgow North East
- Glenrothes and Mid Fife
- Inverclyde and Renfrewshire West
- Lothian East
- Motherwell, Wishaw and Carluke
- Na h-Eileanan an Iar
- Rutherglen
- West Dunbartonshire
There are currently seven Scottish Tory MPs, but three of them have said they will not be standing at the General Election – party leader Douglas Ross, Scotland Secretary Alister Jack and Lisa Cameron, who defected from the SNP in October.
READ MORE: Tories apologise as leaked email blames MPs for poor start to election campaign
The Scottish Conservatives said the remaining candidates will be finalised later in the week.
SNP MP and candidate for Mid Dunbartonshire Amy Callaghan said: “Only a vote for the SNP – the main challenger in every Tory seat in Scotland – can bring down this Tory government that doesn’t have Scotland’s interests at heart.
“From 14 years of austerity, to a shambolic cost of living crisis, and a Brexit we didn’t vote for, the people of Scotland have been paying a high price for a Tory government that leaves utter chaos in its wake.
“With independence, we can get rid of Westminster governments we don't vote for once and for all. On July 4, voters have a chance to get rid of the Tories, and for decisions to be made in Scotland, for Scotland.”
On Monday, Douglas Ross was out campaigning in Falkirk on Monday, the constituency of former Scottish Government health secretary Michael Matheson, who tried to bill the taxpayer £11,000 for iPad roaming charges – and then lied about how he had racked up such a high bill.
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