Swinney promises Loudon will always put community first

First Minister comes to Hamilton to back choice for Holyrood

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First Minister John Swinney made a second visit of the Hamilton, Larkhall & Stonehouse election campaign in support of SNP candidate Katy Loudon as campaigning gets into full swing for the Holyrood poll on June 5.

Mr Swinney was joined during a packed weekend of campaigning across the constituency by a host of SNP parliamentarians including Pete Wishart MP and neighbouring Lanarkshire MSPs Clare Haughey, Neil Gray, Clare Adamson and Jamie Hepburn, while the party's Westminster leader Stephen Flynn also spent a day in the area in support of Ms Loudon.

The SNP is bidding to retain the constituency seat at Holyrood which was represented for the past 14 years by Christina McKelvie, who died in March.

Mr Swinney met operators of the restored X1 bus route linking Hamilton, Hillhouse and Earnock directly with Glasgow, hearing about Ms McKelvie's “work to make that happen” after a previous service had ceased, and joined party activists for “a day of campaigning across the constituency”.