The Scottish Conservatives have revealed the list rankings for four regions ahead of next year’s Holyrood elections. The candidate for East Lothian, Rachael Hamilton, ranks a very credible 3rd on the South of Scotland list.
Ballot papers were sent out to tens of thousands of party members and people who had demonstrated support for the Scottish Conservatives across Scotland.
It means the regional list rankings have been decided entirely by a public vote, making the Scottish Conservatives’ selection system the most democratic in the country.
They are as follows:
SOUTH OF SCOTLAND –
1. John Scott MSP
2. Oliver Mundell
3. Rachael Hamilton
4. Finlay Carson
5. Brian Whittle
6. Michelle Ballantyne
7. Alex Allison
8. Lee Lyons
CENTRAL –
1. Margaret Mitchell MSP
2. Graham Simpson
3. Alison Harris
4. Andrew Morrison
5. Callum Laidlaw
6. Meghan Gallacher
7. Robyn Halbert
8. Eric Holford
9. Anthony Newman
LOTHIAN –
1. Ruth Davidson MSP
2. Miles Briggs
3. Gordon Lindhurst
4. Iain McGill/Jeremy Balfour (tie)
5. Nick Cook
6. Iain Whyte
7. Sandy Batho
8. Charles Kennedy
WEST OF SCOTLAND –
1. Jackson Carlaw MSP
2. Jamie Greene
3. Maurice Golden
4. Maurice Corry
5. Andrew Polson
6. David Wilson
7. Paul Masterton
8. Richard Appleton
9. Graeme Brooks
10. William McClure
GLASGOW –
1. Adam Tomkins
2. Annie Wells
3. Sheila Mechan
4. Kyle Thornton
5. John Anderson
6. Graham Hutchison
7. Thomas Kerr
8. Taylor Muir
9. Thomas Haddow
HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS –
1. Douglas Ross
2. Edward Mountain
3. Donald Cameron
4. Jamie Halcro-Johnston
5. Malcolm Mackay
6. Struan Mackie
7. Cameron Smith
MID SCOTLAND AND FIFE –
1. Murdo Fraser
2. Liz Smith
3. Dean Lockhart
4. Alexander Stewart
5. Huw Bell
6. James Reekie
7. Dave Dempsey
8. Alex Stewart-Clark
9. Martin Laidlaw
NORTH EAST –
1. Alex Johnstone
2. Alexander Burnett
3. Ross Thomson
4. Peter Chapman
5. Liam Kerr
6. Bill Bowman
7. Nicola Ross
8. Colin Clark
9. Derek Wann
10. Seb Leslie
Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said:
“This has been the most democratic system any of the parties have used to rank candidates for the regional list.
“We intend to make great progress in May, and the list vote is going to be vital for getting more Conservative MSPs into Holyrood.
“Now voters can see where their vote will be going if they back the Scottish Conservatives.
“We are the only real alternative to the SNP, and the only party serious about Scotland’s place at the heart of Britain.
"I’m delighted we have such a talented group of candidates on our various regional lists.”