Scottish Parliament elections 2026: Full list of Labour candidates for Holyrood

Selection for Labour’s candidates for next year’s Scottish Parliament elections is well underway, with almost 40 chosen so far for Holyrood’s 73 constituencies.

Scottish Labour has so far picked a selection of current MSPs and Scottish councillors to stand in constituencies across the country in 2026, from Na h-Eileanan Iar to Kirkcaldy.

Labour’s selections are based on the new constituency boundaries, which were approved in May.

Here is a list of the Scottish Labour candidates selected so far – we will update this page as more are announced.

Applications have recently closed for the following constituencies:

• Aberdeenshire East
• Aberdeenshire West
• Argyll and Bute
• Banffshire and Buchan Coast
• Cunninghame North
• Perthshire North
• Perthshire South and Kinross-shire

If you know of any other candidates not on this list, please let us know at [email protected].

Aberdeen Central – candidate TBC

Aberdeen Donside – candidate TBC

Aberdeen Deeside and North Kincardine – candidate TBC

Aberdeenshire East – candidate TBC

Aberdeenshire West – candidate TBC

Airdrie and Shotts – candidate TBC

Almond Valley – Jordan Stokoe

Jordan Stokoe was selected as the constituency candidate for Almond Valley in early April.

Angus North and Mearns – candidate TBC

Angus South – candidate TBC

Argyll and Bute – candidate TBC

Ayr – Brian McGinley

Ayrshire councillor Brian McGinley was selected as the constituency candidate for Ayr in early May.

Banffshire and Buchan Coast – candidate TBC

Bathgate – Jenny Young

Researcher for Michael Marra MSP and policy officer for Edinburgh Central CLP Jenny Young was selected as the constituency candidate for Bathgate in early April.

Caithness, Sutherland and Ross – Eva Kestner

Lewisham councillor Eva Kestner was selected as the constituency candidate for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross in late April.

Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley – Carol Mochan MSP

Regional MSP for South Scotland Carol Mochan was selected as the constituency candidate for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley in early April. Mochan has served in the Scottish Parliament since 2021.

Clackmannanshire and Dunblane – Suzanne Grahame

Suzanne Grahame was selected as the constituency candidate for Clackmannanshire and Dunblane in early May.

Clydebank and Milngavie – Callum McNally

Councillor for Lenzie and Kirkintilloch South Callum McNally was selected as the constituency candidate for Clydebank and Milngavie in August. McNally previously stood as Labour’s candidate for East Dunbartonshire in the 2017 general election.

Clydesdale – Lynsey Hamilton

Lynsey Hamilton has served as a councillor for Clydesdale West since 2012 and is South Lanarkshire Council’s chair of education. She was selected as the constituency candidate for Clydesdale in February.

Coatbridge and Chryston – candidate TBC

Cowdenbeath – candidate TBC

Cumbernauld and Kilsyth – James McPhilemy

Cumbernauld South councillor James McPhilemy was selected as the constituency candidate for Cumbernauld and Kilsyth in August.

Cunninghame North – candidate TBC

Cunninghame South – Katy Clark MSP

Regional list MSP for West Scotland Katy Clark was selected as the constituency candidate for Cunninghame South in early May. Clark has served in the Scottish Parliament since 2021 and is the current shadow minister for community safety. She also previously served as the MP for North Ayrshire and Arran between 2005 and 2015 and is a Labour peer in the House of Lords.

Dumbarton – Jackie Bailie MSP

Deputy leader of the Scottish Labour Party Jackie Bailie has served in post since 2020 and as MSP for the Dumbarton constituency since the creation of the Scottish Parliament in 1999. Bailie previously served as minister for social justice in Henry McLeish’s cabinet and currently is the shadow cabinet secretary. Bailie confirmed she will seek re-election next year in April.

Dumfriesshire – Colin Smyth MSP

Regional MSP for South Scotland Colin Smyth was selected as the constituency candidate for Dumfriesshire in early April. Smyth, who has served in the Scottish Parliament since 2016, is the current shadow secretary for constitution, Europe and external affairs.

Dundee City East – Cheryl-Ann Cruickshank

Operational director for charity Action for Children Cheryl-Ann Cruickshank was selected as the constituency candidate for Dundee City East in early May. Cruickshank stood as a candidate for Arbroath and Broughty Ferry at the 2024 general election, placing a close second behind the SNP.

Dundee City West – Michael Marra

Michael Marra has served as a regional MSP for North East Scotland since 2021 and is the current shadow secretary for finance. He has also previously served as the shadow secretary for cabinet and skills. Marra was selected as the constituency candidate for Dundee City West in early May.

Dunfermline – candidate TBC

East Kilbride – Joe Fagan

Joe Fagan is the leader of South Lanarkshire Council and has served as a councillor for East Kilbride Central North since 2017. Fagan is also a former member of the Scottish Executive Committee of the Labour Party.

Fagan was selected as the constituency candidate for East Kilbride in February.

East Lothian Coast and Lammermuirs – candidate TBC

Eastwood – Kayleigh Quinn

Kayleigh Quinn is a former Scottish organiser for the Labour Party and currently works as Head of Office and Research at the House of Commons. She was selected as the constituency candidate for Eastwood in February.

Edinburgh Central – candidate TBC

Edinburgh Eastern, Musselburgh and Tranent – Katherine Sangster

National Director for the Scottish Fabians Katherine Sangster was selected as the constituency candidate for Edinburgh Eastern, Musselburgh and Tranent in March. Sangster was nominated by the Co-operative Party and backed by Community, the GMB, Unison and USDAW in her selection bid.

Following her selection, she said: “I cannot wait to get to work with the excellent Labour team of MPs, MSPs, councillors and of course our dedicated activists.”

Edinburgh North Eastern and Leith – Oliver Thomas

Dr Oliver Thomas was selected as the constituency candidate for Edinburgh North Eastern and Leith in March.

Edinburgh North Western – candidate TBC

Edinburgh Northern – Foysol Choudhury MSP

Foysol Choudhury has served as a regional MSP for Lothian since 2021. He also stood as a candidate for Edinburgh South West at the 2017 general election, placing third. Choudhury was selected as the constituency candidate for Edinburgh Northern in August.

Edinburgh South Western – Catriona Munro

Former Scottish convenor and vice chair of the Fabian Society and legal practitioner Catriona Munro was selected as the constituency candidate for Edinburgh South Western in August.

Edinburgh Southern – Daniel Johnson MSP

Daniel Johnson has served as the MSP for Edinburgh Southern since 2016, securing an increased majority over the SNP at the last Scottish Parliament election in 2021. He serves as the current shadow secretary for economy, business and fair work. He launched his re-election campaign in late March.

Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire – Kaymarie Hughes

Unison branch secretary and “proud socialist” Kaymarie Hughes was selected as the constituency candidate for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire in early May.

Falkirk East and Linlithgow – Siobhan Paterson

Falkirk councillor Siobhan Paterson was selected as the constituency candidate for Falkirk East and Linlithgow in early May.

Falkirk West – Paul Godzik

Former press and policy adviser for the Scottish Parliament Paul Godzik was selected as the constituency candidate for Falkirk West in early April.

Godzik was the election agent for Ian Murray at the 2010 general election and stood as a Labour candidate in Edinburgh Southern at the 2011 Scottish election.

Fife North East – candidate TBC

Galloway and West Dumfries – Jack McConnel

Diplomat and Co-operative Party member Jack McConnel was selected as the constituency candidate for Galloway and West Dumfries in early May.

Glasgow Anniesland – candidate TBC

Glasgow Baillieston and Shettleston – Pauline McNeill MSP

Pauline McNeill has served as an MSP since 1999, first in the constituency of Glasgow Kelvin until 2011 and currently as a regional MSP for Glasgow.

In the first Scottish government under Donald Dewar, McNeill served as the vice-chair of the Scottish Parliament Labour Group and was appointed as convener of the Justice Committee in 2003.

McNeill was selected as the constituency candidate for Glasgow Baillieston and Shettleston earlier in February.

Glasgow Cathcart and Pollok – Anas Sarwar MSP

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has served as an MSP for the Glasgow region since 2016, having previously been the MP for Glasgow Central from 2010 to 2015.

Sarwar became leader of the party in 2021 and ran as a list candidate and constituency candidate in the Scottish Parliament election that same year for Glasgow Southside.

He was selected as the constituency candidate for Glasgow Cathcart and Pollok in December last year.

Glasgow Central – Vonnie Sandlan?

Glasgow Kelvin and Maryhill – candidate TBC

Glasgow Easterhouse and Springburn – Paul Sweeney MSP

Paul Sweeney has served as an MSP for the Glasgow region since 2021, having previously served as the MP for Glasgow North East from 2017 to 2019.

Sweeney was selected as the constituency candidate for the new Glasgow Easterhouse and Springburn seat earlier in February.

Glasgow Southside – candidate TBC

Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse – candidate TBC

Inverclyde – Francesca Brennan

Francesca Brennan has served as a councillor for Inverclyde North on Inverclyde Council since 2022. She was selected as the constituency candidate for Inverclyde in February.

Inverness and Nairn – Shaun Fraser

Shaun Fraser was selected as the constituency candidate for Inverness and Nairn in late April.

Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley – candidate TBC

Kirkcaldy – Claire Baker MSP

Claire Baker has served as an MSP for the Mid Scotland and Fife region since 2007 and has previously served as shadow culture secretary and shadow justice secretary in the Scottish Parliament.

She is married to Richard Baker, former MSP for North East Scotland and current Labour MP for Glenrothes and Mid Fife.

It is understood that Baker has been selected as the constituency candidate for Kirkcaldy, having contested the seat at the last Scottish Parliament election in 2021.

Mid Fife and Glenrothes – candidate TBC

Midlothian North – candidate TBC

Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale – candidate TBC

Moray – candidate TBC

Motherwell and Wishaw – Ayeshah Khan

Ayeshah Khan, who serves as a councillor on North Lanarkshire Council was selected as the constituency candidate for Motherwell and Wishaw in early April.

Na h-Eileanan an Iar – Donald MacKinnon

Donald MacKinnon works in community development and manages a community-owned trust in Carloway on the Isle of Lewis. He was selected as the constituency candidate for Na h-Eileanan an Iar in February.

Orkney Islands – candidate TBC

Paisley – Neil Bibby MSP

Neil Bibby has served as an MSP for the West Scotland region since 2011. He was selected as the constituency candidate for Paisley in February.

Perthshire North – candidate TBC

Perthshire South and Kinross-shire – candidate TBC

Renfrewshire North and Cardonald – Stuart Clark

Head teacher Stuart Clark was selected as the constituency candidate for Renfrewshire North and Cardonald in early May.

Renfrewshire West and Levern Valley – Paul O’Kane MSP

Paul O’Kane has served as an MSP for the West Scotland region since 2021. He was selected as the constituency candidate for the new Renfrewshire West and Levern Valley seat in February.

Rutherglen and Cambuslang – Monica Lennon MSP

Monica Lennon has served as an MSP for the Central Scotland region since 2016 and has previously served in a number of shadow cabinet positions between 2017 and 2021. Lennon also ran as a candidate as Scottish Labour leader in 2021, losing out to Anas Sarwar by a margin of 58% to 42%.

She was selected as the constituency candidate for Rutherglen and Cambuslang in August, having previously stood in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse constituency in 2021 as the Scottish Labour and Co-operative candidate.

Shetland Islands – candidate TBC

Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch – candidate TBC

Stirling – Kainde Manji

Head of dementia at Age Scotland Kainde Manji was selected as the constituency candidate for Stirling in early April.

Strathkelvin and Bearsden – Colette McDiarmid

Scottish Labour and Co-operative councillor for Bishopbriggs North and Campsie was selected as the constituency candidate for Strathkelvin and Bearsden in August. She also serves as a non-executive member of the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde board.

Uddingston and Bellshill – Mark Griffin MSP

Regional MSP for Central Scotland Mark Griffin was selected as the constituency candidate for Uddingston and Bellshill in early April. Griffin has served in the Scottish Parliament as an MSP since 2011.

For more from LabourList, subscribe to our daily newsletter roundup of all things Labour – and follow us on  Bluesky, WhatsApp, Threads, X or Facebook .

• SHARE: If you have anything to share that we should be looking into or publishing about this story – or any other topic involving Labour– contact us (strictly anonymously if you wish) at [email protected].
• SUBSCRIBE: Sign up to LabourList’s morning email here for the best briefing on everything Labour, every weekday morning.
• DONATE: If you value our work, please chip in a few pounds a week and become one of our supporters, helping sustain and expand our coverage.
• PARTNER: If you or your organisation might be interested in partnering with us on sponsored events or projects, email [email protected].
• ADVERTISE: If your organisation would like to advertise or run sponsored pieces on LabourList‘s daily newsletter or website, contact our exclusive ad partners Total Politics at [email protected].