Elections are a frantic time for parliamentary candidates, as they scrap for a place in the House of Commons. Nonetheless, one of the few things you expect from them is to know the seat they’re actually standing in.
Apparently not though. Step forward John Nicolson, who was the SNP MP for East Dunbartonshire before he lost his seat to the Lib Dems’ Jo Swinson in 2017. Since then, Nicolson has switched constitencies and is standing this election for the Nats in Ochil and South Perthshire.
It appears though that Nicolson may have been struggling to keep abreast of the changes. Speaking at a local hustings, the candidate promised to protect his constituents and assured the audience that:
‘As you know, only the Scottish National Party can beat the Tories here in East Dunbartonshire.’
A promise that rather rang hollow considering he was actually in Ochil and South Perthshire at the time. Kieren Andrews, the Times Scotland Scottish political editor spotted the moment locals jeered the geographically challenged candidate for his mistake:
.@MrJohnNicolson, who was the MP for East Dunbartonshire before losing to @joswinson in 2017, appears to have forgotten that he has switched constituency to Ochil and South Perthshire for this election. Video from local hustings. #GE2019 pic.twitter.com/v1covn1Mfu
— Kieran Andrews (@KieranPAndrews) November 27, 2019
Oops. Plenty of UK citizens are used to having candidates parachuted into their constituencies come election time, but at least they usually remember where they are…
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