AN SNP candidate in the Scottish Borders has called out their Tory rival for marching “in lockstep with a failed right-wing ideology”.
John Redpath, the party’s candidate for the Ettrick, Roxburgh & Berwickshire constituency hit out at incumbent MSP Rachael Hamilton for failing to deliver for the local community as he officially launched his campaign for Holyrood 2026 over the weekend.
A founding member of Yes Berwickshire, Redpath launched his campaign with an event at Gordon Village Hall, the village where he grew up.
We told how he was confirmed as the SNP candidate in April.
SNP members, supporters and local residents took part in the event, where Redpath pledged to fight for more investment in rural infrastructure.
Redpath will contest the seat against the Tory deputy leader, who he accused of taking part in “plenty of photo ops” without delivering for local residents.
Speaking at the launch, Redpath said: "I believe this constituency deserves more than just timid and inactive representation. It deserves ambition. It deserves action.
“It deserves a voice in Parliament that will fight for your interests.
“For too long, rural communities like ours have been ignored or taken for granted by politicians who stoke division in Parliament but say little of substance here at home.
“Farmers have been hit hard by the fallout from Brexit – a decision Scotland overwhelmingly opposed.
“And what has Rachael Hamilton done about it? Plenty of photo ops. Plenty of party line speeches.
“But when it comes to delivering real change – she’s marched in lockstep with a failed right-wing ideology that has delivered nothing for the Borders. I’m standing for a different kind of politics – one that is rooted in Scottish values, Scottish democracy, and Scottish priorities.”
Hamilton was appointed deputy leader of the Scottish Tories by Russell Findlay in September 2024, after he won the contest to replace Douglas Ross.
The Scottish Borders MSP has been in a number of rows during her time in the Scottish Parliament.
In 2022, Hamilton prompted a furious response after she suggested that families who are forced to turn to food banks are “less well-educated” when it comes to cooking and preparing meals.
In January 2023, she raised eyebrows after she suggested Scotland’s parliament only had the right to pass legislation if it was “good law” during a discussion on the UK Government blocking Scotland's gender reforms from becoming law.
We also told how she repeatedly failed to declare an interest in blood sports while attempting to water down hunting legislation.
In response to Redpath's comments, Hamilton said: “As MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh & Berwickshire, my priority has always been to champion the issues close to the hearts of my constituents.
“I know how important to Scotland rural communities are, unlike the out of touch SNP who have neglected the genuine concerns of rural Scotland over the last 18 years.
“I’m focused on the issues that really matter to people living in this constituency rather than the fringe obsessions of the cosy left-wing consensus at Holyrood.”
Redpath also warned of the “clear and present threat” of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, who came third in the recent Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election, won by Labour, where the SNP came second.
He argued that Westminster failings had opened the door to Farage’s “dangerous” ideology.
At the event, Redpath was surprised by a £500 kickstarter donation from Scottish Borders SNP councillors, announced by SNP group leader councillor Elaine Thornton-Nicol.
