Sandra’s speech to the CLP after her adoption as candidate for Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock

“I’m really proud to have been selected as the Labour Candidate for the new seat of Ayr Carrick and Cumnock.  It was very encouraging to find out how much the work I have been doing as an MP has been appreciated by the many party members who turned out to support my selection. Of course there are parts of the new constituency where members don’t know me so well, but will, I hope, get to know me better very soon. I am first and foremost a Party person and a campaigning constituency MP. I will be asking for your support to join me knocking doors in every part of Ayr Carrick and Cumnock as we begin to build up the Labour vote for the next election.

Those who know me well know that I take people very much as I find them - I don’t make judgements in advance on the basis of other people’s views. That’s what I’ll be doing and I hope you will all extend me the same courtesy.                     

I am equally delighted that I won the overwhelming support of the affiliated bodies- the Co-op Party, of which I am a member, and the trade unions.  I value the role of the trade unions within the Labour Movement and as an MP I have worked closely with the unions on many issues e.g. safety of shopworkers from violence; future of BAe Systems, Air Traffic Control; UEF pensions and term time working for public sector workers.

The new constituency brings two different strands of Labour history together - the long standing fight to topple the Tories and our solid Labour bedrock. I would like to pay tribute to those who have represented us in the past in both constituencies that make up the new Ayr Carrick and Cumnock.

Ayr Constituency has undergone boundary changes over the years but was always been represented by a Tory, right up until I won the seat in 1997. Several Labour candidates went on to serve as Labour MPs for other constituencies – Jim Craigen, Alex Eadie and Willie Ross- but a victory in Ayr remained illusive. Both the late Willie Ross and the late Charles O’Halloran came close enough to merit recounts. In 1987 Keith Macdonald who was standing for the third time came within 182 votes of unseating George Younger and in 1992. Alastair (my husband) came even closer losing to Phil Gallie by 85 votes. Those were the people- candidates and party workers alike– I had in mind when I paid tribute in my victory speech back in 1997 to ‘those who have kept the flame of socialism alive over the years, in good times and in bad but never before in victory’. When that victory finally came it was overwhelming in Ayr terms with a majority of 6543. The 2001 General Election was in many ways an even more satisfying result than 1997. Labour came back from third place in the Scottish Parliament by-election to win by over 2500 with a lower turnout than 1997. I had been re-elected, we had secured the first ever second term Labour Government and Phil Gallie had suffered his third defeat in a row in Ayr.

Turning to the South Ayrshire legacy it has of course been a different story in the solid Labour bedrock of Carrick Cumnock and Doon Valley. James Brown represented South Ayrshire from 1918 to 1939 (with a break from 1931-35). As most will know he was a miner strongly influenced by Keir Hardie and born and brought up in Whitletts an area close to my heart as my former Council ward and now represented by me as MP. Sadly many people are no longer aware of the person James Brown Ave was named after. Sanny Sloan (1939-45) a former miner, and Emrys Hughes (1946–69) both served South Ayrshire well before the election of Jim Sillars in a by-election in 1970. Sillars formed his own Scottish Labour Party in 1976 turning his back on Labour and it was George Foulkes who recaptured the seat for Labour in 1979 and has held it ever since. I could not have had a better colleague than George both at Westminster and within Ayrshire. He has given me total support and encouragement during my years as an MP.                     

It is worth looking back and appreciating those who have gone before and I am sure we are all rightly proud of Labour’s history in Ayrshire. But we can’t rest on our laurels. There have been huge changes in society over the years and we have to make sure Labour is fit and ready to stand up for people on the issues that matter to them and their families today and in the years to come.

In terms of the General Election campaign of course my priority is to meet as many party members as possible and to introduce myself in the parts of the new constituency where I am not as well known. I will be depending on you to bring me up to speed with local issues and steer me in the right direction. If we work hard we can make sure that Ayrshire returns 4 Labour MPs at the General Election to work alongside our Labour Councils and Labour MSPs. Personally, I can’t wait to have an MSP I can work with locally – and I know Cathy Jamieson and I will form a great team. We can’t take it for granted and a third term Labour Government will not be handed to us on a plate. I am ready to work for that third term and I firmly believe we can achieve it.

Thank you for adopting me as your candidate. When I was first elected I quoted the words of the late John Smith the day before he died – “All we ask is the chance to serve” I give you the same promise I gave then. I will serve to best of my ability and always firmly based on Labour’s values.”