From the archive: Liberal ‘split’ in Peeblesshire

Published on 13/02/2013 00:00

The Scotsman, 13 February 1950

STATING that the Peebles and South Midlothian Liberal Association had never been consulted on the adoption of Councillor W Weir Gilmour as Liberal candidate in the present election in Midlothian and Peebles, Mr Henry Ballantyne, chairman of the association and his cousin Mr Douglas Ballantyne, a member of the committee, intimated that they had resigned from the Party and intended to support Miss Florence Horsbrugh, the Unionist candidate. Bailie Turnbull, secretary of the association, said: “Councillor Gilmour was not adopted by the Association and we are making no recommendation to Liberals as to how they should vote.” Mr Henry Ballantyne recalled the Association put forward Captain Gellatly at the 1945 election. He said: “In spite of high hopes of a Liberal revival in the constituency and elsewhere, the results were disappointing in the extreme. The Liberal candidate came bottom of the polls.”