Dundee Labour councillor Michael Marra has been nominated top of his party list to represent the North East of Scotland at Holyrood.
Mr Marra, whose sister Jenny is the current Labour North East list MSP for the party, has been announced as top of his party’s list ahead of the elections in May.
Mr Marra, a councillor for Lochee, will not contest the Dundee City West constituency due to Labour deciding to select from an all-women shortlist for May’s contest.
The Conservatives have also chosen a current city councillor to represent them in May, with Philip Scott standing in Dundee City East.
Jenny Marra, who has served as an MSP since 2011, announced she was standing down from Holyrood last year, citing family reasons.
Dundee City West candidates include incumbent SNP MSP Joe FitzPatrick, Scottish Conservative candidate Tess White and Lib Dem Daniel Coleman.
Ms White is a former HR professional and contested the Dundee West seat for Westminster in last December’s election. Mr Coleman also stood for election last year for the Lib Dems.
Other parties and candidates will announce their intention to run closer to the election.
Dundee West End councillor Richard McCready has also been placed on the North East list for Labour.
City ‘ignored’ in Holyrood
Philip Scott, the Scottish Conservative candidate for Dundee City East, said: “For too long, Dundee and the wider north east of Scotland have been ignored by the SNP.
“They have got their priorities all wrong.
“Education, justice, infrastructure, the drug deaths crisis, even Covid-19 have all fallen by the wayside.
“Labour can’t be trusted to stand up for the majority of Scots who voted to remain in the United Kingdom in 2014.
“We need to rebuild together and only the Scottish Conservatives can deliver that.”
More to be done
Mr Marra said: I am honoured to have the trust of Labour members across North East Scotland to lead our list of candidates for Holyrood from first place.
“Thank you for the extraordinary support I have received. As a team we will now ask the people of this region for their support.
“Thank you to the rest of the Labour candidates for all of your hard work and dedication to the cause of a more equal Scotland.
“A huge thank you to all who helped – friends of many years of extreme political talent, insight and commitment. I am humbled by the time and encouragement you have given me. If the size of our vote reflected the size of your hearts it would be a landslide.
“The election for Holyrood will be challenging for Labour across Scotland. Labour must recover to help Scotland recover.
“We owe it to the thousands we have lost to ensure a better future emerges for all. I am looking forward to doing my bit over the coming weeks.”