East Dunbartonshire MP Jo Swinson says she won’t swap seats to ensure re-election

East Dunbartonshire MP Jo Swinson yesterday insisted she would not be tempted to switch to a more secure seat to ensure she is re-elected.
Jo Swinson on the Andrew Marr show. Pic: BBCJo Swinson on the Andrew Marr show. Pic: BBC
Jo Swinson on the Andrew Marr show. Pic: BBC

Andrew Marr asked her on his BBC TV show yesterday (Sunday, October 27): “Now that you are LibDem leader across the UK, are you going to switch seats to ensure you get back next time?”

He suggested she may be concerned given East Dunbartonshire is a “key target” for the SNP.

Jo Swinson replied: “Absolutely not”.

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She said: “I represent East Dunbartonshire, it is the place I grew up, it is my home seat.

“I won it in 2005, I won it back again in 2017 from the SNP and I will never be complacent but I am confident I will win that seat again if the good people of East Dunbartonshire want me to continue being their MP as well as the leader of the Liberal Democrats.”

Mr Marr asked her if she would step down at LibDem leader if she lost her seat.

Swinson responded that SNP candidate John Nicolson, who took the seat in 2015, had moved elsewhere to seek re-election to the House of Commons.

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She said: “He has decided this is not a seat he plans to fight me again in. He’s headed off to another seat.”

Local SNP MSP Rona Mackay tweeted: “Jo Swinson tells @AndrewMarr9 she’s not complacent about holding her seat in East Dunbartonshire - she better not be. Her opponent @AmyCallaghanSNP meets disillusioned constituents every day fed up with her terrible voting record and hypocrisy.”