Alex Salmond's sister steps up Holyrood election bid

ALEX Salmond's sister has praised her 'super brother' as she steps up her campaign to win election to Holyrood.

Gail Hendry is standing for the SNP in the Scottish Parliamentary by-election in Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire. Picture: contributed

Gail Hendry is standing for the SNP in the Scottish Parliamentary by-election in Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire which is taking place on the same day as the general election on June 8. The seat was vacated by the Tory John Lamont who is to fight the neighbouring Westminster seat of Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk.

The former First Minister was on the election trail in the Borders in recent days to back his sibling’s campaign and told a crowd in Selkirk: “I’m here to support ma wee sister.”

Mrs Hendry, who lives in Hawick with her husband and their children, has been involved in political activism all her life, but this is her first attempt to enter frontline politics. She is nine years younger than her more famous brother.

“He’s very clever” she said of the former SNP leader.

“But maybe I see a different side to him. He is a super brother, a great uncle.”

Mrs Hendry was campaign co-ordinator and election agent in 2015 to Calum Kerr, when he won the Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk.

The frontrunner for the seat is Conservative Rachael Hamilton.