Baillieston by-election: Meet the Glasgow candidates

The seat is being contested by six candidates, representing Labour, the SNP, the Greens, the Tories, the Lib Dems and UKIP.

Long-serving Mr Coleman, a former interim council leader, lost his position on Glasgow City Council after failing to attend any meetings over six months.

READ MORE: Jim Coleman: Long serving Glasgow Labour councillor 'sacked' for non attendance

He said he had been “caught out by legislation which fails to recognise” his work in the community.

Those bidding to replace Mr Coleman are:

Willie Docherty, Labour

“As a trade union activist, who has represented members in public services for 22 years, I have a strong desire to take trade union values right to the centre of our political machinery.

“For me this means public service being run by the people for the people. There has been too much outsourcing of services over the years, which puts profit before people and I believe that has to stop.

“Glasgow has been the victim of SNP-led cuts from Holyrood for too many years. Our communities are being decimated by this.”

David Turner, SNP

“As a previous councillor of nine years and a resident of Glasgow’s East End, I am well placed to represent constituents.

“I am standing for Baillieston to deliver positive change in the community.

“I have proudly campaigned on the delivery of much-needed facilities like the Baillieston Community Hub, which my SNP colleague, Cllr Elaine Ballantyne, has been working tirelessly on since 2017.

“If elected, my promise to the people of Baillieston is that I will be a hard-working, committed and present local councillor, who will be a strong voice for the people in the Baillieston ward.”

John Daly, Tories

A former primary school headteacher, he says: “I was able to see the real time impact on many of the decisions made by the SNP-led council on pupils, families and staff within education.

“What’s needed are real voices of experience. It is maybe going to take those of us who actually live, travel on and use the streets of East Glasgow to join with others to effect real change at council level, as it seems Susan Aitken and her crew of Yes people are too busy pushing support for Catalonia rather than Carntyne.”

Lorraine McLaren, Greens

“Last week, Scottish Green councillors created a £2m pandemic recovery fund to help people in need and secured cash for improving recycling, children’s play areas, car free schools, tackling empty homes, and protecting community facilities. That’s the difference Green votes can make.

“I live in Baillieston, I work with social housing tenants and I’ve campaigned for years against cruel austerity policies. If elected as your Scottish Green councillor for Baillieston, you have my commitment to work tirelessly to make things better for everyone who lives here.”

Daniel Donaldson, Lib Dems

“My focus is community recovery for Baillieston. I want a strong local recovery plan to support businesses, fix our roads and pavements and support the community’s mental health.

“It is important the businesses receive support to reopen, and a strategy is to tackle empty shops and closed buildings.

“We are facing a crisis in mental health; the local mental health services must be funded to help people after lockdown.

“I also want support services restored to people with disabilities; to reduce the burden on carers, support workers and families.”

Christopher Ho, UKIP

“I have been a GP in Scotland for nine years and a well-integrated immigrant.

“I chose to stand for UKIP as I believe in controlled immigration, fiscal responsibility, small government, free market capitalism, meritocracy, individual rights and above all freedom of speech.”

He stands against the “wokeness of the other political parties, uncontrolled immigration and government spending and hate speech legislation that now allows persecution of speech within one’s own home”.