Craig Hoy selected by Tories

A FORMER chairman of the Scottish Conservatives has been selected as the party’s Dumfriesshire candidate in next year’s Scottish Parliament elections. Craig Hoy was chosen at a meeting of local party members in Lockerbie at the weekend. Mr Hoy, a former international businessman and journalist, is currently a South of Scotland list MSP and is Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government. He hopes to succeed the present Dumfriesshire constituency MSP Oliver Mundell. Mr Hoy said: “I’m honoured to be selected as the party’s candidate for what I consider a wonderful part of the world and, if elected, would be proud to follow Oliver in providing a strong voice for our area. “I plan to be equally vocal in calling out the SNP for squandering public funds on a relentless agenda to split the UK rather than fully focusing on essential public services such as the NHS, care, transport and education.” Meanwhile, Oliver Mundell congratulated his successor as candidate and said: “With Craig’s wide experience both inside and outside politics and his understanding of our area and its issues, I believe he is an excellent choice.”