Tory candidate would keep her council role

Conservative General '¨Election candidate Sheila Mechan says she will '¨continue in her new councillor's role if she wins in East Dunbartonshire on June 8.

However, she has pledged to donate her councillor’s £16,927 salary to a trust fund for her constituents.

Ms Mechan is standing just weeks after winning the Bearsden North ward in the local government elections.

She said: “The timing of the election isn’t ideal but I haven’t packed my bag for Westminster yet. Neither should Jo Swinson nor John Nicolson”.

A resident of Westerton, Bearsden for the past 14 years, Ms Meechan added: “I would maintain my council work but I would donate my council salary. I would set up a trust fund to be used for the residents of Bearsden North until I decided whether to step down and call a by-election, but I certainly won’t be  drawing two salaries”.

On local issues, she said the controversial Bearsway cycle path and the Allander rail halt are two priorities.

She said: “What I think is a legitimate position to take is that you are not anti-cycling because you don’t think a cycle lane should be located there.

“I think there has been a very polar approach in terms of people’s opinions.”

She said: “Everyone has to be taken into account” and that includes pedestrians, particularly as there are so many pensioners in the area.

She is keen for the Allander rail halt to be established.

She said: “If we can get a rail halt with parking that would take the pressure off Milngavie, Hillfoot and Bearsden halts.”

She stressed the importance of being a local resident and described her Lib Dem rival’s campaign as  “confusing”.

Ms Mechan said: “Jo Swinson’s literature coming through my door talks about health and education. Those are devolved issues.

“If you are standing for Westminster, your job is to represent East Dunbartonshire at Westminster.”

Both Ms Mechan’s parents worked for the NHS and her grandmother Mary McAllister was the first nurse to be elected as an MP in 1958 — for the Labour party.

She said she didn’t think the Tory plan to cut winter fuel payments should apply to Scotland and believed in a “strong Scotland within the UK.” She also said Theresa May was “fabulously competent” and would get the best deal for Britain from Brexit.