Labour unveil candidate to contest Buckie by-election
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MORAY Labour have unveiled their candidate to contest the vacant seat in Buckie ward.
Keighly Goudie will be flying the flag for the party in the forthcoming by-election.
She is a registered nurse working for NHS Grampian. Following a career in cardiology at Nottingham University Hospital, Ms Goudie came to work in community practise in Moray and Banffshire and is currently training as an Advanced Nurse Practitioner.
Following her selection as the Labour candidate, Ms Goudie said: “I’ve never stood for election before, and I haven’t ever really considered myself to be a party political person – but I’m really looking forward to standing for Labour in this election.
“Every day, the cost-of-living crisis grows deeper and deeper, but only Labour seems to be offering any concrete solutions. Labour led the way in calling for a cap on energy bills and a freeze on rents.
"If I’m elected as a local Labour councillor, I will act with the same urgency at the local level to mitigate the cost-of-living crisis. In particular, I want to ensure that things don’t get worse for those people who are already struggling, but ideally, we should be making life a bit easier for everyone.”
Commenting on Ms Goudie’s selection, Labour’s leader on the Moray Council, Councillor John Divers, said: “I’m absolutely thrilled that Keighly will be our candidate in the forthcoming by-election.
"Everyone knows and appreciates the role that NHS workers have played in our communities in recent years. It says a lot about Keighly that she also wants to contribute to the community as a councillor.
“I urge every voter in Buckie to look closely at all of the candidates and the platform on which they are standing. If they do so, I am certain that they will conclude that Keighly is the local voice that Buckie needs.”
Labour won the former Buckie Central ward in 1999 and held the seat until it was abolished in 2007. Labour has not contested the new Buckie ward, however, in over 15 years.
The by-election is due to take place on Thursday, November 3 with the count scheduled to be held the following day. At the time of writing only one other candidate – Les Tarr for the Liberal Democrats – has thrown their hats into the ring.
The by-election was triggered when Liberal Democrat Chris Price resigned his seat last month. He was one of three councillors returned unopposed in Buckie ward.
