Your Co‑operative guide to
Scottish Labour Selections
Use your vote to help elect co‑operative champions to Holyrood.
Your voting guide
Scottish Labour members will soon be asked to rank candidates in the regional list ballot.
The Scottish Co-operative Party has endorsed a number of candidates who are committed to co-operative values, community ownership and democratic power. We would encourage Co-operative Party members who are also Scottish Labour members to give their highest preferences to these endorsed candidates, to help secure strong co-operative voices in the next Scottish Labour group at Holyrood. How you rank individual candidates is entirely your choice.
Every preference matters to ensure we elect Co-operators and have a strong co-operative voice in Holyrood. You can find out more about your co-operative candidates below.
Your Co‑operative candidates
Central Scotland and Lothians West
Paul
Godzik
Siobhan
Paterson
Jordan
Stokoe
Read and/or watch the candidates statements
We need to ensure strong Labour & Co-operative representation across the whole Central & Lothian West region.
As a Co-op candidate I’m committed to working across West Lothian, North Lanarkshire, and Falkirk to promote co-op values and bring about real change in our communities. I’ve a strong record of community work. I am heavily involved with my local development trust, leading them through a number of asset transfer and Community Right to Buy applications. I’ve written academically on community wealth building and the Community Empowerment Act. I want to ensure that community empowerment, democratic innovation and community ownership of land and buildings is at the heart of our agenda in the next Scottish Parliament.
I was the first candidate to stand as a Labour & Co-operative candidate for the City of Edinburgh Council and proudly represented both Labour & the Co-operative Parties between 2007 & 2017. I was heavily involved in the development of Edinburgh’s Co-operative Capital manifesto, which following the 2012 local government elections led to the creation of the Edinburgh Solar Co-op and the Scottish Schools of Co-operation Charter Mark.
I’m currently the Labour & Co-op candidate in Falkirk West, the community I was raised, and where my family still lives. I’m pleased to have worked with trade union colleagues standing against the threat to jobs at the local college, working with the GMB to campaign against fire and rehire proposals, and also with Unison against the privatisation of local care services.
Our co-operative values, and our commitment to push power downwards into the hands of communities has much to offer people across Scotland. I would be delighted to talk to fellow Co-operative members about your thoughts on taking forward the Co-operative Programme for Government and ensuring that Scotland’s future is a co-operative future.
Contact me at pg4fw@outlook.com/07766058954.
I’ve spent two decades in social work services; I’ve volunteered with the children’s panel and run local environmental events. In 2022 I stood to become a co-operative councillor because I couldn’t stand by and watch the managed decline of our services under the SNP.
I have been able to use my position in council to advocate for and make positive changes for both care experience individuals as well as those at risk of domestic violence. I have used my platform to further co-operative ideals of community wealth building by supporting groups with community asset transfers.
I’m proud to have been able to host two ElectHER events with cross-party support and I have done numerous school visits during my term. I hope that I have encouraged more women and young people will get engaged at all levels of politics as a result.
Our communities deserve fair funding, not managed failure. I am running for Holyrood because social justice isn't just a dream, but an achievable reality.
I’m proud of what I’ve been able to achieve locally and relish the opportunity to expand what is possible as an MSP. My experiences have taught me that that we can achieve a more socially just society through improving local services and I would work tirelessly to achieve that goal.
What is a co-operator? This was one of the first questions I asked in my Co-operative Party introductory session. Ironic, as I was the only attendee.
It turns out I’ve been a co-operator in spirit for most of my adult life. Professionally, I’ve always gone against the corporate grain, supporting teams to self-organise, collaborate democratically, and share success. Much to the bemusement of command-and-control colleagues. Our Party’s values are my default operating model.
To be an effective Co-operative MSP, we must spot opportunities and equip people to seize them. That means:
- Seeing a village’s fight for a proper bus service as a call for community-owned transport.
- Turning the injustice of soaring bills beside local wind farms into a campaign for community-owned energy.
I’m already acting on this belief. As a Trustee, I’m helping secure the Community Asset Transfer of our local Community Centre. I support a community interest company establishing a children’s mental health service and advise the project team of our co-operative discovery museum project.
I’ve honed the skills of a co-operator — listening, collaborating, organising, and building practical solutions. Now I want to use them at Holyrood to cut through bureaucracy, shift power, and deliver community wealth.
To do that, I need the support of co-operators like you, so I’m not the only one in the room again.
Edinburgh & Lothians East
James
Dalgleish
Daniel
Johnson
Katherine
Sangster
Caitlin
Stott
Read and/or watch the candidates statements
Growing up in a working-class community shaped my belief in collective pride, mutual support, and the power of people working together. These values have guided my 15 years as a Labour and Co-operative activist and my time as a Councillor, where I’ve fought for policy change and advocated for communities whose trust in politics has been badly eroded.
As a Co-operative MSP, my focus will be on rebuilding that trust through hard work, leadership, and a commitment to practical co-operation. I’ve seen firsthand the ambition of local groups who are already living co-operative principles, and I believe our politics must match their determination. My involvement in the Co-operative Party - from attending events and conferences to representing the party at Scottish Labour Conference - has shown me the real, tangible benefits that co-operative ideas deliver when put into action.
I will champion three priorities: tackling the climate crisis, advancing economic justice, and bringing power closer to communities. We have a real opportunity to reduce bills, cut fuel poverty, and strengthen local economies by expanding community energy—keeping ownership and benefits in local hands. We can deliver economic fairness by doubling the size of the co-operative economy and driving forward more co-operative housing so that people are genuinely at the centre of decision-making.
Scotland needs a government that shares power with communities, not hoards it. Residents know what their areas need, and they should have real influence over local assets - from land to shops to community facilities.
My life experiences, including working as a key worker during the pandemic, have strengthened my determination to stand up for those too often overlooked. With your support, I will be out every day in our communities restoring trust, promoting co-operative solutions, and ensuring our movement’s values shape a fairer, more equal Scotland.
As the Scottish Labour and Co-operative Member of the Scottish Parliament for Edinburgh Southern since 2016, my focus has always been driven by the need to ensure fairness and dignity for working people. As a former retailer I am particularly proud to have championed and successfully steered the Protection of Workers Bill through the Scottish Parliament, with the help of cooperators and trades unionists.
The Co-operative Party's distinctive mission is to ensure that wealth and power are shared across society. In Parliament, I will continue to translate this principle into tangible and practical action, seeking to advance cooperative principles and models at every opportunity.
My vision is a Scotland where co-operative models are the norm, not the exception. As your Scottish Labour and Co-operative Party MSP during the next session of the Scottish Parliament I would:
1. Be a relentless advocate for the expansion of the co-operative sector throughout our economy. This means ensuring our economic agencies are pursuing the formation of new worker co-ops, housing co-ops, and community-owned energy schemes, ensuring that local people have a direct stake in the prosperity of their area.
2. Continue to champion the principle of community wealth building in parliament and our communities. It is essential that the Scottish Government legislative approach in this area brings about tangible change and not just endless report writing. I will work to ensure community wealth building partnerships are required to meet clear objectives to realise shared outcomes.
3. Work with others as a cooperator to further shared goals. As an MSP I have always been committed to a collaborative approach, exemplifying the co-operative commitment to working together. During the passage of my Members Bill I worked cross-party with MSPs, with shopworkers, trades unions and the Co-operative Party to pass legislation which makes it a standalone offence to abuse retail workers. The legislation has been used thousands of times and is a testament to the work we did together on the Bill.
Thank you for allowing me to serve as your candidate. I hope we can continue cooperating together.
I am standing to be a Scottish Labour and Co-operative Party MSP because I know how to win elections and I know how to deliver for communities. In the General Election, I led the team that won the Edinburgh East and Musselburgh seat, and since my selection this year I have built an energetic grassroots campaign. Dozens of activists have joined me on the doorsteps, speaking to thousands of voters and showing the power of collective action.
I have lived and worked in my constituency for over two decades, using the same local services as my friends and neighbours. I know too many people are struggling and we need politicians who will put people at the heart of power. As a Co-operative MSP my job will be to listen to and empower our communities.
For the past ten years, I have campaigned for better local and national policy outcomes in Scotland, including leading the Fair Funding for our Kids campaign, a nationwide movement of parents that pushed childcare onto the national agenda and demanded government action. As director of the Scottish Fabians, I have shaped cutting-edge research on equality and poverty which has been published widely and authored pamphlets on devolution, electoral strategy, and social security.
I am a committed trade unionist, representing staff to ensure fair pay and conditions. My selection was backed by Community, USDAW, Unison, and GMB. As chair of the Scottish Labour Executive Committee and vice chair of the Scottish Labour Policy Forum, I have shown leadership and an ability to build consensus across our movement.
Beyond politics, I have volunteered with Children’s Hearings Scotland and chaired a children’s charity in Musselburgh. I am ready to deliver on our co operative values from day one.
I am honoured to seek selection as the Scottish Labour and Co-operative Party candidate for Edinburgh and Lothian East. I grew up here, attending Currie High School and Broughton High, and I’ve lived in the Lothians for most of my life. This is my home, where I’m raising my two children and using the same services I want to protect and improve through co-operative values.
I am proud to have been endorsed by GMB and Usdaw, reflecting my lifelong commitment to the labour and trade union movement. As a GMB rep for four years and branch chair for two, I have stood with workers across sectors – care staff, cleaners, council workers and call-centre employees – organising, negotiating and delivering change. These experiences have shaped my belief that progress only happens when we act collectively.
The Co-operative principles of solidarity, democracy, and shared ownership are not abstract ideals for me. As a housing policy adviser for the Scottish Parliamentary Labour Party, I worked hard to ensure co-operative values were woven into housing legislation and Labour policy. I championed co-operative housing models, community ownership, and tenant-led rights, because I know they empower people and deliver better outcomes for communities.
With over a decade at the heart of Scottish political life, I know how to turn values into policy, and policy into practical action.
Since my selection as Labour’s candidate for Midlothian North, I have run an active and engaging constituency campaign. I’ve brought CLP members together, involved activists from across the region, and shown that when we campaign co-operatively, we win. Our campaign has demonstrated that people want change from this failing SNP Government, and that Labour, rooted in community and solidarity, can deliver it.
If selected, I will be a visible, practical and principled MSP, focused on improving everyday life: better transport, tackling child poverty, expanding co-operative housing, and growing local co-operative enterprises.
I ask for your support so we can win this together and build a fairer, more co-operative future for Edinburgh and Lothian East.
Glasgow
James
Adams
Paul
Sweeney
Eunis
Jassemi
Monica
Lennon
Pauline
McNeill
Read and/or watch the candidates statements
I have campaigned across Glasgow as an activist, organiser and election agent - winning elections on the ground. I know how to build disciplined campaign teams and deliver Labour victories through collective effort. I have a practical approach to politics based on solidarity, shared responsibility and democratic participation.
I am standing because I believe the co-operative movement offers credible, values-led answers to Scotland’s challenges. Too much power and wealth remain concentrated in too few hands, while communities are locked out of decision-making. Co-operation provides an alternative through economic democracy, community wealth building and locally accountable public services that put people before profit.
My experience in local government has shown me the real impact of political decisions on people’s lives, particularly in a city that has faced years of damaging cuts. Glasgow needs a strong voice at Holyrood that understands place, stands up for fair funding, and champions co-operative approaches to housing, care and local economic development.
I have served as an elected City Councillor and as Group Whip in challenging political circumstances. These roles reinforced the importance of collective leadership, discipline and trust, and of working together to deliver shared outcomes rather than individual advantage.
As a Councillor I supported the development and delivery of policy, making Glasgow a co-operative Council and to commit the city to Fair Trade. This work focused on embedding co-operative principles including democratic ownership, ethical procurement and community participation into how the council operated.
I also played a key role in developing Glasgow’s co-operative and labour heritage, including work to honour Mary Barbour, a Labour councillor, co-operator and rent striker.
Alongside my political work, I have spent many years in the disability sector and now lead a large charity in Scotland. This has strengthened my commitment to equality, inclusion, and to politics that delivers.
I want to be a Scottish Labour and Co-operative MSP because I believe that co-operation is one of the strongest forces we have to rebuild trust, renew public services and deliver real fairness for people across Glasgow and Scotland. As a Glasgow Labour and Co-operative Councillor, I have shown that I am an effective, visible and determined representative who listens, acts and delivers. I want to bring that same energy and experience to Holyrood on behalf of our movement.
The 2026 Scottish Parliament election will be the most consequential since devolution. Scotland stands at a crossroads, with families struggling, local services stretched and confidence in government at an all-time low. This moment demands ambition, fresh leadership and a Parliament ready to put communities back at the centre of our politics. Scottish Labour and the Co-operative Party must lead that renewal, and I want to be part of the team bringing strong, new energy into Holyrood.
My work as a councillor has shown the value of co-operative solutions. In one of the most deprived areas of Glasgow, I helped establish a community fridge by working with local groups, volunteers and partner organisations. This project provides fresh food to families, reduces waste and offers a dignified community-led response to food insecurity. It demonstrates how co-operation strengthens communities and empowers people.
I have also worked closely with the trade union movement to enhance rights for hospitality workers. As a former hospitality worker, I know the insecurity and low pay many staff face. This drove me to work cross party in the City Council to pass a significant motion improving protections. It showed both my commitment and my ability to build alliances and get things done.
Glasgow needs A New Deal for Glasgow’s Future. I am ready to deliver that plan with energy and determination, widening opportunity and building a fairer, more resilient future for every community we serve.
It has been a privilege to be elected as a Labour and Co-op Party MSP. Being part of the co-operative movement is integral to my belief in public and cooperative ownership of public services. It has given me strength and comradeship to be able to work along side the Co-op officials. It is not always easy in public life to know how to respond and engage with topical issues, but being part of the cooperative movement gives me a firm foundation with which to think through those issues Scotland is living through the most challenging of times. The Cost-of-Living crisis the climate change crisis and new world conflicts and all have implications for the lives of the people we represent. The war on Gaza is the humanitarian crisis of our time and our response to the illegal occupation of Palestinian territory matters. I lobbied hard for the UK Government to recognise Palestine, and I know it was the right thing to do. The starving people affected by famine in the unrelenting conflict in Sudan should not be forgotten. We can never be complacent about the rise in the rhetoric of anti-immigration sentiment and its firm foot in the Scottish Political Landscape. But we can defeat this phenomenon by facing the arguments and the public with the facts and by listening to what they have to say. I will be a strong advocate of change and of ideas that resonate with the public. I would be proud to be a voice for the Co-operative party in Scotland if re-elected to the Scottish Parliament.
I am writing to ask the Scottish Co-operative Party for your endorsement as a candidate on the Glasgow Region for the 2026 Scottish Parliament election. I have been a proud member of the Co-operative Party since I was 18, joining in 2008 because the co-operative movement spoke directly to the values I was raised with in Springburn: people coming together, looking out for one another, and owning their own future.
From the shop floor at Govan and Scotstoun shipyards to the community campaigns that saved the St Rollox railway works and Reidvale Housing Association, I have spent my adult life and my time as a parliamentarian trying to put those values into practice.
In Parliament, I have worked to turn these values into policy as convener of the Cross-Party Group on Co-operatives and Deputy Convener of the Cross-Party Group on Credit Unions.
I have consistently championed co-operative models that put people in charge of their local assets: supporting the growth of community-based housing associations and co-ops such as West Whitlawburn in Cambuslang and Reidvale in Dennistoun, where tenants own and manage their homes collectively.
Working with Community Land Scotland and groups like the Govanhill Baths Community Trust and Springburn Winter Gardens Trust to bring derelict sites into community ownership, with co-operative housing as the end goal.
I have pushed for the Scottish Housing Regulator, Scottish National Investment Bank and Scottish Land Fund to prioritise fully mutual housing co-ops and community-led development trusts, not just traditional registered social landlords.
Every day as your Co-operative Party MSP for Glasgow I have tried to show that co-operation is not just an ideal; it is the practical answer to inequality, climate transition, the housing emergency, and the cost-of-living crisis.
Glasgow needs co-operative voices in the next Parliament more than ever. If you place your trust in me again, I will keep fighting for an economy and a housing system that works for the many, not the few: more workers’ buy-outs, more community-owned assets, hundreds more co-operative and mutual homes across our city, and real resident power over the places we live.
Highlands & Islands
John
Erskine
Eva
Kestner
Mike
Macleod
Read and/or watch the candidates statements
The co-operative movement has shaped my politics from the very beginning. I believe deeply in the principles of shared ownership, community power and economic democracy, values that speak directly to the challenges facing the Highlands and Islands today.
My commitment to co-operative action strengthened further during the pandemic, when I served as a Co-op Pioneer, working directly with local communities to support vulnerable residents, coordinate volunteers and connect people with essential services. That experience showed me the real strength of co-operative values: when people work together, they can overcome even the most difficult challenges. It reinforced my belief that co-operation must sit at the heart of our approach to public services, resilience and local economic development.
As an MSP, I would work to expand co-operative and community-led models across the region, from housing and energy to digital connectivity, transport and local enterprise. Too often, decisions affecting island and rural communities are taken far away. Co-operative structures offer a more democratic alternative, giving people a genuine stake and a real voice in shaping their future.
I will also work to strengthen the Co-operative Party’s presence in rural Scotland, ensuring that the priorities of islanders and Highland communities shape our shared agenda. Long-term issues such as depopulation, declining services and fragile local economies require solutions rooted in fairness, partnership and community empowerment.
If elected, I will be an active member of the Scottish Co-operative Party Parliamentary Group and a strong advocate for co-operative values in everything I do.
My commitment is simple: to put people and communities first, and to champion a fairer, more democratic economy for the whole of the Highlands and Islands.
I want to be a regional MSP for the Highlands and Islands because I can serve and fight for this region, championing policies that reflect the realities of people’s lives. I’m someone who cares, who listens, and who gets things done. I want to be a leader rooted in lived experience, committed to fairness, and determined to ensure communities receive investment and respect.
Early in my career, I had the privilege of working across this region, and it made me feel at home. The Highlands and Islands are not only among the most beautiful places in the world, they are communities built on resilience, co-operation, and deep care for one another. However, I know the deep frustration felt when decisions are made that dont reflect local reality. That shaped the MSP I want to be, one who is practical, rooted reality, and committed to giving communities real influence.
I bring a professional background that has prepared me to lead effectively in Holyrood. After starting working in politics, I moved into senior leadership in the charity alongside being a local councillor, overseeing finance, HR, and governance. I lead on digital development projects, modernising systems, improving access to services, and ensuring organisations can deliver efficiently and transparently. This taught me how to navigate complex systems, manage limited resources responsibly, and keep vital services running. They also strengthened my commitment to realistic, honest politics, never promising what cannot be delivered.
My experience in the Violence Against Women sector taught me how to make systems listen, build partnerships, and support people in their toughest moments. These experiences shaped my belief in co-operative, community-driven solutions.
These are the skills Holyrood needs. Persistent, pragmatic, and unafraid of difficult conversations. I will always remain focused on who I serve, the people of the Highlands and Islands.
Localism runs through one of the defining issues of our times in the Highlands & Islands – Renewables. People are instinctively averse to massive schemes by multinational companies, but generally are accepting, even enthusiastic about smaller community-owned windfarms. Even when these windfarms have multiple turbines and cost tens of millions, because local people can see benefits coming directly to themselves.
With GB Energy established, and with the clause in the Scottish Policy Forum document empowering communities to buy into new windfarms developments (which I and others from the Highlands & Islands helped negotiate) the time is right to push community windfarms big-time.
If elected as a List MSP I would make it my priority to encourage the Scottish Parliament to do everything within its powers to support community-owned renewables projects. Here planning reforms and access to finance through the Scottish National Investment Bank are important. Community windfarm projects have to raise “junior debt” - equivalent to the share capital which a private investor has to put up - and this is not always easy.
Another major area with tremendous potential for growing community ownership is Land Reform. Again there is public acceptance of the benefits of community-owned estates, especially with large landowners as the stock villains. Marketed positively as a key policy in the H&I, this will help transform our fortunes. If elected, I would work to promote this in the Scottish Parliament.
Being an effective MSP is easier said than done. In my view it is best to avoid grandstanding on issues, the petty point-scoring and indeed personal attacks. Instead get (and keep!) some good staff, do your research, find some common ground with people from other parties, support them on issues that matter to them, and you will be pleasantly surprised by the assistance you get in return.
Mid Scotland & Fife
Claire
Baker
Elizabeth
Carr-Ellis
Joe
Long
Kainde
Manji
Read and/or watch the candidates statements
I am seeking the Scottish Co-operative Party’s nomination for the regional list because I believe in the values and principles that sit at the heart of our movement. As a Co-operative Party member for almost two decades, and a Labour and Co-operative MSP since 2021, I have consistently championed co-operative solutions in Parliament and worked closely with colleagues across the movement to promote a fairer, more democratic economy.
Throughout my time as an MSP, I have been a strong advocate for employee-owned businesses and community-led economic models. I have worked to highlight the success of employee ownership in creating resilient, high-quality jobs and keeping wealth within local communities, and I want to see the Scottish Government do more to support firms transitioning to co-operative structures. This approach has also been important in my work to support the revitalising our high streets, and ensuring local assets, shops and services can remain rooted in communities rather than being lost to absentee landlords or speculative investors.
I have been proud to campaign alongside the Co-operative Party on issues that matter to people across Scotland. This includes work to crack down on ticket touting and protect fans from exploitation, an example of how co-operative values can shape practical, meaningful reform. I have also supported campaigns on community energy, financial inclusion, and strengthening the social economy, all of which contribute to a more sustainable and equitable future.
As Scotland faces economic, social and environmental challenges, I believe co-operative principles offer real, long-term solutions, such as encouraging shared ownership, community empowerment, and collaboration instead of competition. I want to continue promoting this agenda in Parliament, ensuring co-operative models are embedded in government policy and supported in practice.
I would be honoured to receive your nomination to continue this work as a Co-operative MSP.
For me, co-operation starts with people. It means listening first, bringing those affected into the room and making sure decisions lead to practical change.
That’s how I worked as a Labour and Co-operative councillor. When I saw loneliness growing in my community, I worked with local groups to hold a free social event to bring people together. Over 200 people turned up on a bleak January day and it’s now an annual fixture. That’s co-operation working in real life.
I also focused on turning lived experience into policy. I successfully campaigned to embed feminist town-planning principles into the council’s corporate and local plans so safety, accessibility and inclusion are built in from the start. As an MSP, I would bring that same approach to legislation and scrutiny, strengthening policy by listening to those it affects.
Here in North East Fife, I’ve been working with residents and St Andrews University to press for the reinstatement of the 42A bus service. Reliable public transport matters to people’s daily lives and decisions about it should involve the communities who rely on it.
Inside the Co-operative Party, I chaired the Women’s Network Steering Committee and organised and chaired last year’s Women’s Event at Labour Conference – the first such event by any of our networks. It was a huge success, with several leading Co-operators in the audience.
Outside elected office, I co-founded the Pausitivity #KnowYourMenopause campaign, a simple poster to educate women about menopause that spread around the world,. It has aided research in Pakistan and inspired initiatives from Uganda to New York.
This is the approach I would take to Holyrood – grounded in real life, shaped by lived experience and focused on making a real difference.
If you believe in that kind of politics, I’d be honoured to have your backing.
In 2026 Scotland has an opportunity not only for a change at the top, but for a change in the way that our economy works at local, community level.
It is well established that our economy needs better growth, but we also have an economy, which is fundamentally unbalanced. There is a place in our economy for enterprises and organisations of all shapes and sizes, but at present ownership, power, access to capital, and access to expertise and knowledge are not evenly distributed.
A government that is proactive in nurturing co-operatives, mutuals, and social enterprises will not only be nurturing a more vibrant, diverse economy, but a more just society in Scotland. That is a principle that, as a Co-operator in parliament, I will always advocate for - whether that is in contributing to policy initiatives, scrutinising new legislation, or speaking up for co-operative principles in the chamber.
I work in the not-for-profit sector and I always advocate for the agility and specialism that charities and community enterprises contribute to our public service provision, our economy, and our society. Belonging, connectedness, the opportunity to contribute – we know that these are vital to wellbeing, and are things that community-driven enterprises offer people.
We need community-owned power, harnessing Scotland’s natural resources. We need community land ownership, which invariably leads to more environmentally sustainable land use. We need housing development that is driven by need, not profit, and provides secure homes for those who cannot get on the property ladder. I will always champion policy that progresses this agenda.
That’s the future that, as a Labour and -Co-operative MSP, I will work to deliver.
Fellow cooperators,
I am the Labour Co-op candidate for Stirling at the 2026 Holyrood elections, and I’m seeking your support for the Mid-Scotland and Fife regional list selections.
In my professional life I am a third sector leader working for a local Stirling-based charity that aims to empower local communities through community wealth building and cooperative ownership among other mechanisms. The values of the Third Sector are deeply aligned to those of the Co-operative movement.
Prior to my current role I worked as Head of Dementia at Age Scotland, where I supported the development of dementia-friendly communities. This experience reaffirmed for me the impact that small groups of people can have when they come together to work for mutual good. In this role I was involved in working to set up Meeting Centres Scotland, a national initiative based on a Dutch cooperative model of locally based dementia support. I was successful in campaigning for this approach to be part of the Fourth National Dementia Strategy published in 2023.
I have lived in Stirling for 21 years, and have played an active role in my local community and Labour Party during that time. I am a trustee of two local charities, one of which working to end violence against women and children, and the other that works for community empowerment through the arts.
If elected to the Scottish Parliament I would work tirelessly to ensure that our communities are empowered in reality rather than in rhetoric, and ensure that co-operative values are at the heart of all legislation.
I hope I can count on your support,
Yours in co-operation,
Dr Kainde Manji
North East Scotland
Kate
Blake
Cheryl-Ann
Cruickshank
Matthew
Lee
Lynn
Thomson
Read and/or watch the candidates statements
I’m a marketing and communications professional who worked in colleges and universities for over twenty years, seeing first hand the damage two decades of SNP government has caused the sector. In 2022, I stood as a councillor because as a Mum, I’d become increasingly concerned about climate change and social justice.
I am deputy leader of the Aberdeen Labour Group and lead on education and anti-poverty. As a councillor, I have established myself as a credible voice on education issues and have earned the respect of parent and teacher representatives.
I stood at the general election in West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, where we had a 8.5% swing to Labour and a record Labour vote. This was a great result and a testament to the hard work of local Labour members. We ran an effective campaign and importantly for future elections, improved data across the constituency.
The issues raised on the doorstep at the general election - NHS, education, the cost of living, jobs, are those that the SNP government have failed to deliver on. A Labour government in Holyrood working with a UK Labour government can make a real difference and be the new direction our communities need.
Protecting jobs as part of a managed transition to a low carbon economy is a critical issue in the North East. The Cooperative party has been at the forefront of developing community energy policies and this is evidenced in the policies of the UK Labour government. There are good examples such as Aberdeen Community Energy and Huntly Development Trust, which can be built on to increase community ownership and benefit in the region.
I have shown that I have the enthusiasm, cooperative attitude, understanding of policy and communication skills to be an effective representative at Holyrood for the North East.
Kate
Facebook: facebook.com/KateLabAbdn
Instagram: instagram.com/kateblakelabour
Bluesky: @kateblake.bsky.social
Email: kateblake134@gmail.com
I know you’re tired. I am too.
Tired of watching Scotland’s potential held back. Tired of seeing our NHS, our schools, and our economy stretched while those in power fail to act with urgency or imagination.
But our frustration is not apathy.
It is the clearest sign that we still care — that we still believe Scotland can be better than this.
And belief is powerful. It is the spark that has driven every movement for change. It is what fuels communities, campaigners, and advocates who refuse to accept that decline is inevitable. I know this because I have spent more than three decades doing that work: shifting culture, building momentum, and fighting for people whose voices are too often ignored.
But some decisions can only be shaped from within the rooms where budgets are set, priorities agreed, and systems redesigned. That is why I am asking for the chance to step into that space — not for status, but for service.
A seat at the table would allow me to bring lived experience into the heart of decision making. To turn values into action. To ensure that the people affected by choices are represented in them. And to champion the Co operative principles that have guided my life: shared power, community ownership, fairness, and the belief that we achieve more when we work together.
I’m not asking for blind trust. I’m asking you to trust the 35 years I’ve spent breaking barriers, challenging injustice, and proving that change is possible.
Your voice matters. Your hope — even the smallest ember — is worth fighting for. Together, we can build the Scotland we know is possible.
The values of both the Labour and the Co-operative parties are close to my heart. I want to contribute to building a country where power and wealth are shared equitably and where communities truly feel that they have a meaningful stake in their society and services.
I’ve lived in the north east of Scotland for over 40 years, so I know the area very well. Most of my working life has been in the public sector (I've worked for the NHS for over 30 years, so the sustainability of our health service is very important to me) and I've also worked in the private sector.
I firmly believe that I am well-placed to be a strong voice for you and our area at Holyrood.
As a Labour and Cooperative councillor in Aberdeen, I frequently speak in debate as I have strong debating skills and can deliver an effective speech with minimal preparation, rather than being dependent on pre-written notes.
During election campaigns, I have taken part in several public hustings against sitting MPs, MSPs and other candidates and also have experience of giving interviews for TV news, radio and newspapers.
Although I'm an opposition councillor in Aberdeen City, I did have a motion passed unanimously at the Finance and Resources Committee. The motion asked that the council sign the "Fair Tax Declaration". As a result, potential contractors submitting tenders to the council are now to include information about their attitude to taxation. This will help to ensure that the council procurement process raises awareness of fair tax and that the principles of fair tax are factored into any purchasing decisions.
It would be a privilege if you were to support my candidacy.
Thank you
South Scotland
Joe
Fagan
Lynsey
Hamilton
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We must make Scottish politics work better for the people of Scotland.
With an uncertain economy and weakened public services and institutions, devolution is not delivering. People’s quality of life is not improving and their faith in the power of politics to change lives has declined.
I am standing to be a voice for a new economy – a more co-operative and resilient economy - the foundation on which to rebuild our public services, rebuild Scotland’s prospects and rebuild trust in politics itself.
Scotland needs better government to build local wealth, achieve better outcomes in our NHS and public services and deliver fairer funding for our communities.
I have been a South Lanarkshire councillor for nearly nine years and I am now leading one of Scotland’s largest councils, delivering:
- The best paid home care workforce in Scotland.
- School Clothing Grants for pre-school children.
- UN-accredited ‘age-friendly status’ for South Lanarkshire.
- One of Scotland’s first ‘Marmot’ pilots – working with Professor Michael Marmot to tackle the social determinants of ill-health.
And as Scotland’s only Labour and Co-operative Council Leader, I am putting Community Wealth Building into practice – implementing the Fair Tax Charter, bringing contracts back in-house and boosting local procurement.
I want to bring the benefit of experience, as a leader and as a changemaker, to the Scottish Parliament to help create an economy that works for all of us and a society in which everyone has a stake.
It is time for new leadership in Scotland, not more division and decline.
It is time for a new economy, an alternative to inequality and neglect.
It is time to put the Scottish Parliament back to work for the people of Scotland.
I hope to be part of that work as a Co-operative MSP.
I would be proud to have the Co-operative Party nomination for the Regional List, for many years I have been honoured to be a Labour and Co-operative Councillor in South Lanarkshire Council and would very much like to continue that if I am lucky enough to be elected as a Member of the Scottish Parliament.
We need a Scottish Parliament Group who has a track record of putting our community first. In a time where people feel their voices are not being heard it is more important than ever that Co-Operative values are at the core of what the Labour party does. As a local Councillor I have continuously made sure the local community is at the heart of my ward and South Lanarkshire as a whole. The most recent example of this is in my ward I encouraged and helped a local community group to take over the running of the local hall, it is now a thriving community hub. I would be proud to take those values to the Scottish Parliament as well.
Growing up in Clydesdale, where I am also the constituency candidate, I have always been acutely aware of the Co-Operative values having New Lanark on our doorstep. As a member of the Scottish Parliament for South Scotland I would advocate to end hunger, encourage community owned energy to tackle the climate crisis and tackle fuel poverty and fight for public transport run in the public interest not for private profit. South Scotland is a largely rural area which brings its own problems, but I believe the community spirit and the resilience of the people make it a perfect place for Co-Operative values to thrive.
So please give me your support today so we can fight for change, together.
West Scotland
Neil
Bibby
Francesca
Brennan
Colette
McDiarmid
Paul
O'Kane
Read and/or watch the candidates statements
I am honoured to have been selected to stand as a Scottish Labour and Co-operative candidate for the constituency of Strathkelvin and Bearsden.
As a Scottish Labour and Co-operative Councillor since 2022, I possess practical experience in local governance, successfully implementing co-operative principles and securing improvements for my ward. This is complemented by my role as a non-executive director on the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde board, which provides me with valuable insight into complex public service delivery and accountability across a large region.
I am committed to using my platform as an MSP in the Scottish Parliament to champion cooperative solutions to national and local problems. I have actively supported community-led initiatives, such as facilitating dialogue for a local renewable energy project, demonstrating how our principles empower communities through shared ownership. My core focus as a Scottish Labour and Co-operative MSP will be to advance cooperative values in legislation.
My professional skills, gained through my career in policy and campaigning, enable me to navigate the legislative process effectively and build consensus. In the face of political division, I firmly believe that co-operation and co-operative values are essential for strengthening community cohesion.
I am keen to join the tradition of effective Scottish Labour-Co-op MSPs, bringing my blend of local government experience, governance knowledge, policy development, and long-standing commitment to co-operative values to Holyrood to push power back into our communities.
Since I was first elected as a Councillor in 2012 I have been proud to be a Co-operative elected member.
Over the past five years it has been my honour to be a Labour Co-op MSP representing West Scotland Region.
Throughout my time in Parliament I have worked with fellow co-operators within our Group and with the Party more widely to deliver important interventions in legislation, policy and campaigns. Most notably I have worked to do this in each of my specific policy remits within the Scottish Labour Shadow Cabinet but especially the Social Justice portfolio in terms of community wealth building and the co-operative economy.
If re-elected as a Labour Co-op MSP I will continue to work hard to advance Co-operative values and put them into action. I have recently been appointed as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education so I will focus in particularly on how to expand and develop co-operative childcare and Co-op awareness and education amongst young people. I believe we can learn much from what is happening in other parts of the UK and in many of our Co-op Councils.
I also continue to hold the portfolio for Equalities so will continue to play my part in advancing our agenda of building a more equal society for everyone.
It is an honour and a privilege to be a Labour Co-operative MSP and it is something I would relish the opportunity to do once again over the coming five years in Parliament.
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