DOUGLAS Ross did not knock on any doors or speak to residents despite holding a campaign photo-op on our street, local residents have told The National.
It comes after the Scottish Tory leader was out supporting Conservative candidate Thomas Kerr’s campaign in Rutherglen and Hamilton West, later posting about his efforts on social media.
Ross wrote: “Great to join @CllrTKerr and @ScotTories campaigning in Cambuslang today for the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election, followed by a great coffee at The Tea Bay with Angeline.
“It’s clear that voters want the focus back on their priorities – and Thomas will deliver that.”
Alongside the post, Ross shared images of himself with Kerr and other Scots Tory activists on a street in Cambuslang on Tuesday.
But residents on that street got in touch with this paper to question how Ross “can talk with any authority on what people in the area think when he was clearly just here for a photo-op and didn't attempt to engage with residents”.
Doorbell camera footage shared with The National shows Ross and other Conservative campaigners posting leaflets through letterboxes and taking photos, before rapidly leaving.
The Scottish Tories did not deny that Ross had failed to knock on any doors or engage with residents while in the area.
One resident told The National: “With the by-election in my constituency two weeks away, it's hard to see how Douglas can talk with any authority on what people in my area think when he was clearly just here for a photo-op and didn't attempt to engage with residents.
“If he had the nerve to ring my bell, I'd have happily told him my thoughts about his Tory party and their policies like the two-child benefit limit, his party’s attempt to stoke a culture war using the LGBT community and the impacts of 13 years of austerity on the most marginalised in our society.
“Seems to me like he doesn't really want to hear what people think of him.”
A Scottish Conservative spokesperson said: “Douglas was more than happy to roll up his sleeves and support Thomas Kerr’s campaign in Rutherglen and Hamilton West, unlike the SNP who hired leafleters on zero-hours contracts to do the job for them.”
The Tories have put forward Kerr, a Glasgow councillor for the Shettleston ward, as their candidate in what is widely regarded as a two-horse race between the SNP and Labour.
The by-election is set to take place on October 5.
