Hamilton and Clyde Valley

[stb12]

Hamilton and Clyde Valley

[yellowfox]

This is broadly a continuation of Lanark and Hamilton East, where the incumbent MP, Angela Crawley, is standing down after nine years in the commons.

It has therefore fell to Ross Clark, a councillor for Larkhall, to defend a 7,758 (16%) vote notional majority for the SNP. Interestingly the boundary review has bumped labour back up to second place here, and of course they are naturally the most likely of the challengers to claim this seat.

Labour's candidate is Imogen Walker, previously a vice-president of the RSPCA whose previous foray into elected politics came as a Councillor for the Stockwell ward on Lambeth borough council in London between 2006 and 2018. I don't know the circumstances but I'm not sure what this says of Labour's perceived likeliness to gain this seat when they selected Walker (much greater chance now, of course).

The tories are less than a thousand votes further back but haven't publicly revealed a candidate yet, and of course have no expectations here.

[stb12]

It took everyone including the Tories themselves I think by surprise how close they came to gaining the previous seat in 2017, no doubt benefited from a surge of support in Larkhall with the hardcore unionist vote that exists there

I imagine that will fall heavily behind Labour for this election even simply on tactical grounds

[Clark]

Larkhall, where you see lamp-posts and street kerbs painted red, white and blue. The occasional Union Jack flying in the front garden of a council house and the odd youth giving the street view camera car the 'Vs'. 

[Kristofer Keane]

Kyle Burns - Lib Dems
Ross Clark - SNP
Christopher Ho - UKIP
Lisa Judge - Reform
Richard Nelson - Conservatives and Unionists
Imogen Walker - Labour

[ntyuk1707]

Calling this for Labour.