Scottish Labour by-election candidate snubs BBC interview

SCOTTISH Labour's candidate for the upcoming by-election in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse has snubbed an interview with the BBC.

Davy Russell was not "able to join" BBC Scotland's Good Morning Scotland (GMS) programme on Tuesday morning.

Russell has previously come under fire for refusing to take part in a televised TV debate and for a series of heavily edited social media clips which have led to accusations that he is unable to “string a handful of words together”.

Davy Russell  (Image: PA) BBC Radio Scotland said it was interviewing all the candidates ahead of the crucial by-election on June 5, which is being held after the death of Christina McKelvie MSP.

Yet Gary Robertson, one of the hosts on GMS, told listeners that Russell would not be interviewed on Tuesday's programme. Scottish Greens candidate Ann McGuinness was also unable to join, he added.

Robertson said: "Throughout this morning's programme, we'll be hearing from candidates.

"We had hoped to speak to Davy Russell, who's standing for Scottish Labour, and the Scottish Greens candidate Ann McGuinness, but neither of them were able to join us this morning.

"We hope to speak to them in the coming days."

Davy Russell (left) and Anas Sarwar (right) (Image: Jane Barlow) Russell has previously refused to take part in a televised debate led by STV political editor Colin Mackay, claiming he would rather be knocking on doors – despite the hustings taking place at 10.40pm.

He has also been at the centre of a transparency row after it was revealed that Scottish Labour failed to disclose he worked for a scandal-hit company.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar previously dismissed criticism of Russell as "classist", saying: “That's a completely disparaging comment that is below the belt. And demonstrates a classist approach to someone who is from this community and speaks like someone from this community.”