A SCOTTISH Tory candidate has been panned for failing to attend a hustings event – and accused of “forgetting” the constituency he is standing in.
Stewart McDonald, the SNP’s candidate for Glasgow South took to Twitter/X to share that his Tory opponent Haroun Malik failed to attend a hustings on Tuesday night.
He shared a post from Scottish Greens councillor Jon Molyneux pointing out that Malik had used the same biography as when he stood to be an MSP in Cumbernauld and Kilsyth.
The biography explained that Malik was campaigning with a “focus on saving jobs and livelihoods in Cumbernauld and Kilsyth”.
It was then repeated again at the end of the biography, which states he wanted to “support local amenities to improve life for the people of Cumbernauld and Kilsyth” despite standing in Glasgow South.
Writing on Twitter/X, McDonald said: “My Tory opponent decided not to show up to tonight’s hustings, and he also seems to have forgotten which constituency he’s standing in…”
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Molyneux meanwhile added: “Not only did @GlasgowTories candidate not bother showing up to the Glasgow South hustings to defend his party’s devastating and corrupt record, he didn’t even bother to update his bio from when he stood in Cumbernauld and Kilsyth.”
Other social media users were also critical of Malik’s decision with one saying he had simply “cut and paste” his statement from 2021 and that the hustings helped confirm who they would be voting for on July 4.
The National has approached Glasgow Conservatives and Unionists for further comment.
The Scottish Greens and Alba are also standing candidates in the constituency while Labour have put Gordon McKee forward.
In a separate post however, McDonald said that the Alba candidate was not present at the event.
He said: “Thanks to everyone who turned out for tonight’s hustings. We had a broad, good natured and respectful debate on a whole range of issues.
“Sadly only myself, Green and Labour candidates turned up (TUSC had a representative). No Tory, Alba or LibDem. Huge thanks to the community councils for organising.”
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