Wednesday April 22nd 2026
The candidates in alphabetical order, top row left to right: Colin Beattie (Scottish National Party), Jenny Claire Marr Butler (Scottish Liberal Democrats), Pal Chidambaram (Reform UK). Bottom row, left to right: Phil Doggart (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party), Jo Phillips (Scottish Greens) and Caitlin Stott (Scottish Labour and Cooperative Party).
Written by Midlothian View Editor, Phil Bowen
The Midlothian View Scottish Election Hustings for the Midlothian North Constituency will take place Wednesday 22nd April 2026, 7:30pm to 9:00 pm. St John’s and King’s Park Church, Dalkeith, EH22 1HJ.
All very welcome. No booking necessary.
What is a hustings? A hustings is simply a meeting where the candidates debate policies and answer questions from the audience. Imagine BBC Question Time but where the panellists are the Midlothian election candidates. Hustings provide voters with an important opportunity to hear the views of all the candidates.
The hustings does not promote any particular candidate because they all have the opportunity to speak and be questioned.
Please submit questions in advance to the Midlothian View editor by emailing editor@midlothianview.com
The candidates in the Scottish Parliament elections Midlothian North constituency 2026 are:
– Colin Beattie, Scottish National Party
– Jenny Claire Marr Butler, Scottish Liberal Democrats
– Pal Chidambaram, Reform UK
– Phil Doggart, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
– Caitlin Stott, Scottish Labour and Cooperative Party
We are pleased to say that all candidates have confirmed that they are attending the hustings.
In addition we have included Jo Phillips, Scottish Greens, to the hustings who is standing as a candidate in the Edinburgh and Lothians East region. Although no Scottish Greens candidate is standing in the Midlothian North constituency we feel that given their expected vote share then it is important that people hear what the Greens have to say so they can make up their own view as to whether to vote for them. You can see a full list of candidates for the Edinburgh and Lothians East region HERE.
The poll will be held on Thursday 7th May 2026 between 7am and 10pm.
If you are 16 or over on the day of the election and live in Scotland, you can vote. You need to register by Monday 20 April for the Scottish Parliament election. Register to vote HERE
I am really pleased that Midlothian View has once again been able to organise these hustings. Our hustings is the only one taking place for this election in Midlothian North so it is an important opportunity for the people of Midlothian to see and hear all the candidates in one place. It should be a very interesting evening and will no doubt provoke a lively but fair debate.
Please note that photographs and filming will be taking place on the night.
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