Senior figures visit Hamilton ahead of crunch by-election

First Minister John Swinney highlighted the impact of the Winter Fuel Payment as he made his latest by-election campaign visit to Hamilton, this week visiting the busy community cafe at the St Mary’s for All centre.

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He joined SNP candidate Katy Loudon to meet volunteers running the community space and its popular Beechwood Cafe, as well as customers at a busy lunchtime and even took part in K-Otic Productions’ regular drama class at the Auchingramont Road venue.

It kicked off another week of high-profile campaigning in the hotly-contested Holyrood by-election for the Hamilton, Larkhall & Stonehouse seat, with Ms Loudon also having been joined for weekend events by former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

Mr Swinney made his second visit in five days to Hamilton as he announced his government's plans to reinstate a Winter Fuel Payment of between £100 and £300 for impacted pensioners by November 30, and said of his conversations with voters: “The issues that we are confronting are issues of concern to the public in Hamilton. One of those which we're hearing a lot of anger about, is Labour's decision to remove the Winter Fuel Payment as one of their first acts in government.