SNP election candidate ridiculed after saying wrong constituency name during hustings

‘I made a slip of the tongue. We’re all human,’ says John Nicolson

An SNP candidate has been ridiculed for getting the name of the constituency where he is standing wrong at a hustings.

John Nicolson, the candidate for Ochil and South Perthshire, told the audience in Alloa: “As you know, only the Scottish National Party can beat the Tories here in East Dunbartonshire.”

Footage of the event shows his remarks being met by laughter and groaning.

Mr Nicolson appeared not to notice his mistake and continued his appeal to voters.

He was the MP for East Dunbartonshire from 2015 until he was unseated by Jo Swinson, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, in 2017.

Scottish Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser said: “John Nicolson is now a laughing stock.

“It’s well known he was parachuted in to Ochil and South Perthshire last month by Nicola Sturgeon. You’d think by now that he would have worked out where he was.

“People have had enough of SNP place-men thinking they can walk in with a God-given right to a seat.

“In two weeks’ time, voters in Ochil and South Perthshire can tell Mr Nicolson to go home and think again – assuming he can find his way there.”

Mr Nicolson said: “I made a slip of the tongue. We’re all human.

“On December 12 voters in Ochil and South Perthshire will face the choice between a Tory candidate prepared to do whatever Boris Johnson tells him – trading away Scotland’s NHS to Donald Trump and taking Scotland out of the EU. Or an SNP candidate who will act to protect Scotland from Boris Johnson and ensure we have a choice over our future.”