Dundee East includes City Quay, Claverhouse, Stobswell and Baxter Park, and extends to include Broughty Ferry, Monifieth, and Carnoustie.
SNP candidate Stewart Hosie increased his majority by almost fivefold at the 2010 election, from just 383 to 1,821, and it seems likely that will be extended further next week.
Nationalist support across Dundee is high and, despite Labour’s Lesley Brennan working hard, the SNP will be very confident of their depute leader being returned comfortably.
The Cannabis is Safer Than Alcohol party, which launched in February and is only fielding candidates in eight seats, is also making a quirky contest for the seat.The candidates* Stewart Hosie (SNP) Mr Hosie has been MP for Dundee East since 2005, became deputy leader of the SNP on November 14 2014 and is chief whip of the SNP group at Westminster.He speaks for the party in the House of Commons on finance and treasury matters.He said: “I will be a strong voice for Scotland, helping to deliver real change in Westminster.”* Lesley Brennan (Labour) The East End councillor made headlines last month when she rejected a £1,000 campaign donation from former PM Tony Blair.Ms Brennan is an economist specialising in health and housing.She said: “I am motivated by the high aspirations I have for my three sons and I want the same bright future for the young people of Dundee East especially those who have less support in their lives.”* Bill Bowman (Conservative) Bill Bowman qualified as a chartered accountant at Edinburgh University and became a partner at KPMG in Aberdeen.He spent the latter part of his career in central and Eastern Europe as deputy senior partner of KPMG Romania.He said: “My business background plus experience as an employer in an organisation that placed great emphasis on training and developingpeople led me to becoming a candidate.”* Craig Duncan (Lib Dems) Mr Duncan was born and schooled in Dundee, Monifieth and Carnoustie before attaining an honours degree in government and modern history from Heriot-Watt University.He is convener of the Dundee Liberal Democrats, campaigning regularly in and around Dundee and neighbouring areas.* Helen Greyshan (Green) Helen is an environmental activist living in Dundee, originally from Yorkshire. She has been a party member for seven years. She was active in the European elections and the independence referendum.She has campaigned on tuition fees/grants as a student union officer, for sustainable transport in London, for greater income equality as part of the Equality Trust, and for sustainable cities as part of Transition Towns* Lesley Parker-Hamilton (Cannabis Is Safer Than Alcohol) Ms Parker-Hamilton is in the final year of a psychology degree at Abertay University.She has worked as a student ambassador at Abertay for more than three years.She said: “My background includes motherhood, administration, healthcare and various voluntary roles. I am currently at the end of my 4th year as psychology student at Abertay.”*Dr Carlo Morelli (Trade Union and Socialist Coalition) Dr Morelli is vice-president of Dundee UCU and has been elected to the national executive of the UCU as of next year.He said: “I stand on a platform against cuts and to put an end to austerity.“We are calling for increased welfare, and to put an end to cuts that favour banks and the rich at the expense of working people and the poor.