Watch as SNP candidate gets constituency name wrong during hustings

An SNP candidate has been left red-faced after confusing the name of the constituency where he is standing at next month’s election.
John Nicolson with Nicola Sturgeon on the campaign trail. Picture: PAJohn Nicolson with Nicola Sturgeon on the campaign trail. Picture: PA
John Nicolson with Nicola Sturgeon on the campaign trail. Picture: PA

John Nicolson, who is contesting Ochil and South Perthshire for the Nationalists, was speaking at a hustings in Alloa last night when he said: "Please trust me with your vote on December 12. As you know, only the Scottish National Party can beat the Tories here in East Dunbartonshire."

His comments were met with jeers and laughter. He later brushed off the incident, saying it was “a slip of the tongue”.

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Mr Nicolson was the MP for East Dunbartonshire from 2015 until being unseated by Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson in 2017.

Scottish Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser said: "John Nicolson is now a laughing stock.

"It's well known he was parachuted in to Ochil and South Perthshire last month by Nicola Sturgeon. You'd think by now that he would have worked out where he was.

"People have had enough of SNP place-men thinking they can walk in with a God-given right to a seat.

"In two weeks' time, voters in Ochil and South Perthshire can tell Mr Nicolson to go home and think again - assuming he can find his way there."

In a statement, Mr Nicolson said: “I made a slip of the tongue. We’re all human.

“On December 12, voters in Ochil and South Perthshire will face the choice between a Tory candidate prepared to do whatever Boris Johnson tells him - trading away Scotland’s NHS to Donald Trump and taking Scotland out of the EU.

“Or an SNP candidate who will act to protect Scotland from Boris Johnson and ensure we have a choice over our future.”