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New Stirling Labour MP’s wife aims to replace him in council by-election

Anne Kane will contest the Stirling East ward on December 5 after her husband Chris quit as local authority chief to focus on Westminster duties.

Anne Kane is hoping to replace husband Chris, now an MP, as a councillor. Image: DC Thomson.
Anne Kane is hoping to replace husband Chris, now an MP, as a councillor. Image: DC Thomson.

The new Stirling and Strathallan Labour MP’s wife is standing to replace him in the local council byelection next month.

Anne Kane, a school teacher, is contesting the Stirling East ward on December 5 after her husband Chris quit as local authority chief to focus on Westminster duties.

The couple live in the Braehead area, in the ward she hopes to represent.

Ms Kane works as a supply teacher in primary schools across the Stirling Council area.

“This experience has given me insight into the challenges families in the area face, as well as the importance of local services in helping children thrive,” she said.

“I’m standing because I want to make a real difference, not only for the people in Stirling East, but for the wider Stirling area.”

Alyn Smith’s shock defeat

Mr Kane was sent to the House of Commons in July after inflicting a shock defeat on former SNP MP Alyn Smith.

He stepped down from role as council leader two months later after facing complaints about “double-jobbing”.

The new MP was replaced by veteran Bannockburn Councillor Margaret Brisley, who died last week aged 79 just a month after taking on the post.

Anne Kane is standing in the Stirling East ward.

Labour hopes to build on Mr Kane’s surprise success in July and keep it in the family by retaining his council seat.

But the contest features a buoyant SNP looking to capitalise on Labour’s struggles nationally.

Mr Kane picked up 21% of the total votes in the ward in 2022, finishing just behind the Tories.

SNP appears dominant

The SNP, by contrast, was backed by nearly 40% of local voters and appear to dominate first preferences.

The nationalists also recently won two knife-edge Dundee council votes where Labour was in the running – and polling has shown support for Anas Sarwar’s party is slumping.

Allan Faulds, from Ballot Box Scotland.

Polling expert Allan Faulds, who runs elections website Ballot Box Scotland, warned Labour could suffer a repeat of Dundee’s disappointing results.

“In theory it’s winnable for Labour,” he told us.

“They’d need a swing of less than 5% and even at the moment they’ve typically been able to achieve that.

“I wouldn’t write off the possibility of them falling just short though.”

Labour minority

Labour took control of Stirling Council as a minority administration in 2022 despite winning just six out of 23 seats.

The SNP was the largest party following the local election with eight councillors but have since been reduced to seven.

Willie Ferguson, a local businessman who owns a fire sprinkler company, is standing for the nationalists.

As it stands Labour has just four active councillors following both Mr Kane’s resignation and Ms Brisley’s death.

The full list of candidates is as follows:

  • Andrew Adam, Scottish Greens
  • William Docherty, Reform UK
  • Willie Ferguson, SNP
  • Anne Kane, Scottish Labour
  • Gary McGrow, Independent
  • Christopher Spreadborough, Scottish Lib Dems
  • Jennifer Ure, Scottish Tories

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