Moray SNP have announced their candidate for the upcoming Buckie by-election.
John Stuart will stand as the SNP candidate in the by-election, which will be held on Thursday November 3.
Since 1996, he has worked in social care with older people and adults with learning disabilities.
He also led and managed services in Glasgow and Elgin.
He currently works as a care inspector with Care Inspectorate.
He also started the Buckie Kindness Group which led community efforts in Buckie to help people during the Coronavirus pandemic.
John shares his home with his son William and their dog Luna.
They also live with a Ukrainian refugee who came to live in Buckie in July this year.
Now, he will face off against Labour’s Keighly Goudie, Liberal Democrats’ Les Tarr and Tories’ Tim Eagle.
Buckie by-election
This by-election was sparked by Lib Dem Christopher Price resigning after just three months in the role.
He said he was struggling to balance his council duties with his full-time job.
Mr Price was the first Lib Dem to sit on the local authority since before the multi-member ward system came into being in 2007.
Meanwhile, locals said it made Moray Council look like “a laughing stock across Scotland”.
Why bid to become a councillor?
Buckie candidate Mr Stuart promises to “campaign” to secure a new Buckie High School.
Mr Stuart said: “I’m delighted to have been selected as the SNP candidate for the Buckie by-election.
“I have found our communities to be supportive and hardworking, helping our area thrive.
“I found it easy and welcoming to get involved in our communities, be this starting up a beach cleaning group, or working within Buckie and District Community Council.
“My son goes to school locally, and will in a matter of years, join other pupils at the high school in Buckie. I will be campaigning to secure a new high school for Buckie.
“I will also campaign for wraparound childcare which would be a game changer for local families and the local economy.
I will work hard to make sure Buckie’s voice is heard – this is what people in our communities deserve and I hope they will put their trust in me on polling day.”
“We are fortunate to live in such an area rich in community engagement and support. In February 2020, I started the Buckie Kindness Group, which was a social media page, encouraging people to share or offer acts of kindness.
“Thinking proactively, I led the kindness group into becoming the Covid-19 response for Buckie, with a focus on anticipating and responding to the needs of people in the local community.
“I will work hard to make sure Buckie’s voice is heard – this is what people in our communities deserve and I hope they will put their trust in me on polling day.”
‘Caring spirit and humility are traits we need more than ever’
SNP MSP for Banffshire and the Buchan Coast Karen Adam said Mr Stuart would be an “incredible representative for his community.”
She added: “John doesn’t seek recognition for any of his efforts. He’s often behind the scenes working extremely hard ensuring other people around him are being recognised for their positive contributions.
“John’s community work, his caring spirit and humility are traits that we need more than ever in our elected representatives, as I know first-hand of the hardships that so many of my constituents in Buckie are going through.”
Conversation