Whiteford Selected as SNP Candidate for UK Election

Eilidh Whiteford has been re-selected to contest the Banff & Buchan constituency for the Scottish National Party at the UK General Election on 7 May.

Eilidh was the sole nominee and was unanimously re-selected by SNP branches within the constituency. This will be Eilidh’s second election campaign for Banff & Buchan, having won the seat in the 2010 election.
Since succeeding Alex Salmond as Banff & Buchan’s MP, Eilidh has maintained the high work-rate which constituents have come to expect from their SNP representatives, dealing with literally thousands of cases on behalf of local people and raising concerns with Government Ministers and public officials, being accessible through surgeries and visits to community groups, and is assiduous in speaking up for Banff & Buchan in the House of Commons, as evidenced by her “well above-average” number of contributions to debates.

Speaking following her nomination, Eilidh Whiteford said:

“It has been my great honour and privilege to represent the people of Banff & Buchan in the Westminster Parliament for these past 5 years and I am very pleased to have been reselected to stand again in May’s election.

“I’m very proud to have been selected once again by the local SNP as their candidate. Locally, the party goes into this campaign in better heart and better resourced than ever before. With a huge increase in membership during the last four months and with roots in all parts of this wonderful constituency the SNP is relishing this campaign.

“I will be standing on my record of speaking up for my constituents, be that at Westminster or in my approaches on their behalf to public bodies, and on seeking to secure the best deal from government, be that at Westminster, Scottish or local level, for Banff & Buchan.

“In the course of the campaign I will outline my priorities and use the campaign to highlight several local issues from across the constituency. But with the SNP currently standing at over 40% in the opinion polls for Westminster and if this translated into MPs we could secure our largest ever group of MPs and possibly hold the balance of power. We will ensure that the powers promised for Scotland are delivered and we will use any and every opportunity to progress Scotland’s agenda and deliver for the people of Scotland.”

Convener of Banff & Buchan SNP Norma Thomson added:

“Eilidh has been a first class representative for Banff & Buchan during her time in office and I’m delighted she has been reselected unanimously to be the SNP candidate at the forthcoming UK General Election.

“She has spoken up in the House of Commons for Banff & Buchan and its people without fear or favour and has one of the best records for doing so amongst all MPs across all the parties and we’re fortunate to have such a good local candidate as our MP.”