A local councillor is seeking to be nominated as the SNP candidate for the Paisley and Renfrewshire South seat at Westminster.

Robert Innes has put his name forward for consideration by his party after Mhairi Black, who currently holds the seat, announced she is to stand down at next year's general election.

Nominations have now opened for the Paisley and Renfrewshire South seat, with SNP members choosing their candidate through a democratic selection process.

Mr Innes secured one of four seats available in the Houston, Crosslee and Linwood ward in last year's local council election.

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He told The Gazette: "I am delighted to put my name forward as a potential candidate for Paisley and Renfrewshire South and I am thankful for all the encouragement I have received to do so.

"I know the hardships and the problems that people face in Renfrewshire because I have a lifetime full of experience coping with those same issues. I grew up here, I went to school here, I studied here and now I work and raise my family here in my home - Renfrewshire. 

"Growing up in poverty is not uncommon in our area, I feel that as a child and a young adult who did experience poverty and many of the other issues that come with this, I have the tools to showcase to the unionist parties in Westminster where exactly they have gone wrong. 

"I moved about a lot as a kid and spent my childhood in Johnstone, Elderslie and Linwood and I have worked and studied in Paisley since I was 16 years old. I know this constituency and it’s problems inside and out, I am ready to highlight those problems at Westminster."

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Mr Innes said it was an "absolute honour" to serve as a local SNP councillor in the local area.

He added: "I have worked alongside Mhairi Black MP in her office in Paisley for almost a decade now, fighting Tory austerity head on as we see our beautiful county squeezed of hope by a revolving door of out of touch Westminster governments. The Tory made cost of living crisis is hurting people, food bank usage continues to rise in Renfrewshire when they should not have to exist at all. 

"Independence is our way out. It is a journey to a fairer and more equal society and as your candidate I want to put that vision of independence front and centre of my campaign.

"I love this area from Paisley all the way to Lochwinnoch. If I am successful you will have a candidate that will always go above and beyond to do his best for you and that is my guarantee."

We previously reported that Councillor Jacqueline Cameron is seeking to be nominated as the SNP candidate for the Paisley and Renfrewshire South seat, while Gavin Newlands MP has been selected to stand again as the SNP candidate for the Paisley and Renfrewshire North seat.