SNP national secretary announced as Hamilton candidate for 2026 election

The SNP’s national secretary has been chosen as its Holyrood 2026 candidate for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse.

The party lost the seat to Labour in a by-election called after the death of incumbent, Christina McKelvie.

Alex Kerr, who worked for McKelvie, will now try to win it back when Scotland goes to the polls next year.

Kerr, a councillor in Glasgow, is said to have “strong relationships across the area”.

He said: “It is a huge honour to be chosen as the SNP candidate for the communities I care deeply about.

“I know how important it is for people to have someone who listens, who gets things done and who always puts local people first. That is exactly the kind of MSP I will be; focused on Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse every single day.

“People here deserve better than what we have seen from the Labour government at Westminster, which in just one year has scrapped the Winter Fuel Payment for pensioners, hit charities and local employers with new taxes, and allowed costs of living to soar.”

Government minister McKelvie had been on medical leave before her death in March.

The ensuing by-election was won by Labour candidate Davy Russell, a former Glasgow City Council senior official.

Pundits had presented the contest as a head-to-head between the SNP and Reform UK, whose leader Nigel Farage made a campaign appearance. However, Labour triumphed after a concerted ground campaign.

Kerr is now in his second term as SNP national secretary, having been re-elected for the internal role at the party’s recent conference in Aberdeen.