The Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party has selected its local candidate for next year’s Scottish Parliament elections.

Alexander Stewart will be contesting the Clackmannanshire & Dunblane seat, he first appeared on the political scene when he was elected a councillor in Perth & Kinross in 1999 – since then, he has been re-elected three times. He is currently convener of Perth & Kinross Council’s Scrutiny Committee.

He said: “I am delighted to have been selected as the Conservative candidate for Clackmannanshire & Dunblane. I know this constituency like the back of my hand and am well aware of the challenges and opportunities that the Conservatives face here, having campaigned extensively in the area for over two decades.

“I shall relish the opportunity to put forward a strong alternative to our failing SNP government. The Nationalists—who are fixated on the constitution—are letting down ordinary Scots daily and must be stopped in their tracks.

“Our education system, once the envy of the world, is now riddled with problems and the educational attainment gap among state schools is widening; the authoritarian Named Person policy intrudes into family life while failing to target resources to those vulnerable children in greatest need; Police Scotland is in need of radical reform and increased local accountability; our NHS is underfunded and is in disarray; business are crying out for help; and our rural communities will be irrevocably damaged by the land reform proposals.

“I am greatly looking forward to travelling the length and breadth of this constituency in support of hard-working families and achieving a good result for the Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party here in Clackmannanshire & Dunblane.” Electors are duo to vote on 5 May next year in the fifth general election since the devolved parliament was established in 1999.