A COCKENZIE resident has been selected by Scottish Labour to contest the Midlothian seat in the next General Election.

Kirsty McNeill, 42, has wide-ranging political experience, having worked as a Downing Street adviser to Gordon Brown during his tenure as Prime Minister and playing a significant role in the Better Together campaign during the 2014 Scottish independence referendum.

She was elected as a Labour councillor in 2006 and stood in the Southwark North & Bermondsey seat in London during the 2005 General Election, coming second to the Liberal Democrats’ Simon Hughes.

Ms McNeill also works as an executive director for Save The Children UK, helping to deliver campaigns across Scotland and the UK.

Ms McNeill spoke to the Courier about her selection and said she was thrilled to contest the seat.

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She said: “I’m absolutely delighted.

“If you look at the quality of representation previously [in Midlothian], they are hard acts to follow – but I am convinced we can make this a Labour gain.

“In Midlothian, we have huge problems with deprivation and there is a huge hunger for change.”

She added that she hoped she could be there to support families while reinforcing what Labour had to offer for those who voted for the party previously, those who had never voted Labour, and those who might have left to vote SNP.

Ms McNeill also confirmed that she would soon be leaving East Lothian to live in Midlothian ahead of the General Election.

The SNP’s Owen Thompson won the Midlothian seat from Labour at the 2019 General Election.