Tuesday April 22nd 2025
Councillor Stuart McKenzie.
This View has been written by Councillor Stuart McKenzie who is standing for the SNP nomination for the Scottish Elections next year.
Politics is really about families. Specifically, what we do when a family needs something. Is there help? Is access to help easy?
We talk about new schools, or house building, or care packages but what all those boil down to is this; getting the vital help your family needs. From ‘cradle to grave’ as Aneurin Bevan said. Politics is straight-forward in that respect. I want to help make life easier.
That is why I am asking for nomination as an MSP.
I grew up in Midlothian so I’ve seen a lot of change in my time – some for the better – some for the worse. Some of the changes are driven by us locally. Some of the changes happen to us because of national or international events – think inflation or interest rate changes.
Being a councillor helps me improve the decisions made locally over the things we can control. It’s not always easy. And I don’t expect thanks for it. But at the end of the day I can say, hand on heart, I listened to all the opinions, I read all the paperwork and made a decision I believed to be for the best. That is not party political by the way – you are well blessed in Midlothian to have 18 genuine caring folk that stand as councillors. I’m proud to know them all and work with them.
My passion is Housing and Community Wellbeing. It can be an emotional rollercoaster. Heartbreaking stories of how folk are forced to live come across my desk every week. If we can make a difference to folks lives it can feel inspirational. Its real change for the better. Families that are better off emotionally, financially and healthier.
When we cannot help, it’s frustrating. Quietly though, I’m always determined we should do more next time.
Which is where running for MSP comes into focus. Whilst behind the scenes as a councillor I am already working on future initiatives within Midlothian, there is a role helping shape national legislation that being an MSP would provide. I believe that where Midlothian leads the way perhaps Scotland can follow.
Lastly then, why the SNP? Why am I not in the Labour Party or the Conservatives?
For me, the UK is run by a distant elite, unwilling to do the hard work of tackling vested interests, and ordinary families suffer because of that.
Why are they content that we pay the highest electricity prices in Europe, if not the world? Why are they happy to see money lavished on a railway that doesn’t get finished? Why do we hear stories about a CEO going back to bed when a fire shuts down the UK’s biggest airport? Why did we leave the worlds biggest trading bloc (which has been a disaster), and yet, are not negotiating to get back in? Of all the things structurally wrong with the UK, none are tackled by either of the ‘big two’ London parties. The UK provides instability.
Your family suffers for that. Every day. And so does mine. Only the SNP has the vision to transform that structure.
Can the SNP lead Scotland onto a more secure prosperous independent future? Of course we can.
Will our families be better off for that? Of course we will.
Do we need to rely upon anyone other than ourselves to do that? Of course we do not.
For me, Holyrood proves that we make better decisions locally. We know our own place better. We know our families better. We know our historic shared values of common good, where every family member has a valued position and we work for the good of all – the entire clan.
And those values of co-operation and working together will chart a future for Scotland that is prosperous and secure. One where we work with our neighbours not against them.
Where the UK cast itself adrift, we will work with our neighbours.
Where the UK is drifting, we will provide purpose and leadership.
Where the UK cannot decide its identity, Scotland will open up our enduring values to new friends in the world and build a closer than ever relationship with auld friends in the European Union.
Holyrood proves we have a more secure vision of the future. We are clear eyed about where we want to go. We will work hard, day and night, to make it a success. For your family and for my family.
There are three candidates standing for the SNP nomination for the Midlothian North Constituency ahead of the 2026 Holyrood election. Councillor Stuart McKenzie, Colin Beattie MSP and Council Leader Kelly Parry. The local SNP branch members will decide who wns the nomincation. Voting starts today at 12 noon and closes on Monday 5th May.
Midlothian View aims to always be politically neutral and so we hope to cover the nominations for other parties, as well have full coverage of the elections next year which will include a Midlothian View Scottish Election Hustings. The election date has not yet been confirmed but it is expected to be held in May 2026.
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