Young Tory out to step into legend Meek's shoes

Published on Tuesday 12 October 2004 12:12

A NEWLY qualified solicitor is bidding to become the Capital’s youngest city councillor.

Tory front-runner Jason Rust, 26, is among five candidates in the running to replace local politics legend Brian Meek, who died in August.

They will battle it out in the Colinton ward by-election as part of the Capital’s first all-postal ballot on October 28.

Mr Meek represented the Tory stronghold for 35 years and, although he took about 63 per cent of the vote last year, rivals today insisted that this contest would be much closer.

Mr Rust will face competition from an even younger opponent in 24-year-old SNP candidate Andrew Harlick. If either wins, he will become the youngest current serving councillor on the city council

Well-known local campaigner Stuart Bridges, the only candidate to live within the ward, has been selected by the Liberal Democrats. Former Labour regional councillor John Clifford is also hoping to make a return to political life.

And for the first time, the Scottish Socialist Party will be targeting the ward - one of the Capital’s most affluent areas - with candidate Morag Robertson convinced they will poll well.

The impact road tolls would have on the area is considered to be one of the election’s main issues, as many parents would be forced to cross the proposed outer cordon to take their children to school at nearby Juniper Green Primary.

Senior Tories have privately drawn parallels between Mr Rust and Mr Meek, who was first elected at the age of 29, and Mr Rust admitted some residents have been "surprised" to see such a young face on the campaign trail.

The property lawyer said: "I’ve called on hundreds of houses and I’ve been getting a very good response. People have been pleased to see that there is political interest amongst younger people."

Mr Bridges, 40, is an elder at Colinton Church and, since 1999, has been at the forefront of the fight against controversial plans to cover the Dreghorn Polo Fields with housing. The Lib Dem candidate said: "I believe my knowledge of local problems and my record of action on local issues means I can be that strong local voice in the council chamber."

Labour’s John Clifford, meanwhile, is Austria’s consul in Scotland and has represented the area as a regional councillor. If elected, he has vowed to "think independently on issues" at the City Chambers.

At 27, South Morningside councillor Mark McInnes is currently the city’s youngest councillor. But council leader Donald Anderson became one of the most youthful elected members in Edinburgh history when he was voted in at just 23 in 1986.