Scottish Labour defends move to put London-based councillor Eva Kestner forward in Caithness, Sutherland and Ross seat for Holyrood 2026 election
The Scottish Labour party has said its newly announced candidate for the far north seat at Holyrood will be a fantastic champion for the area.
Eva Kestner will challenge Maree Todd in the Caithness, Sutherland and Ross seat in the 2026 Scottish election, the party said earlier this week.
But that led to criticism due to the fact that Ms Kestner is currently a councillor in Lewisham, in south-east London.
She previously stood in the general election in the Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross seat where she gained just 3409 votes – or 7.4 per cent of the total share for the constituency. Liberal Democrat Jamie Stone won the seat with 22,736 votes in July 2024.
While Ms Kestner is based in Lewisham, she does have connections with Scotland. In her early career she worked as a parliamentary researcher for Highland Labour MSPs David Stewart and Rhoda Grant, and was brought up in the country.
Maree Todd, who currently holds the Caithness, Sutherland and Ross seat at Holyrood for the SNP, hit out at Scottish Labour for selecting the London-based councillor to contest the largely rural seat in the far north.
She said: “Given Labour’s disastrous start in government, it’s hardly surprising that no one from Caithness, Sutherland and Ross – or even Inverness and Nairn – is willing to stand as a local Labour candidate and endorse Keir Starmer.
“On the doorsteps, voters are expressing disbelief that a Labour government has slashed Winter Fuel Payments, imposed harsh welfare reforms, and abandoned the very people who rely on support the most.
“There’s been no meaningful difference between this Labour government and the Tory one before it, and Scottish Labour has shown it’s completely unable – or unwilling – to stand up to Westminster.
“It’s no wonder they are shipping in candidates from London.
“The Highlands deserve better – they deserve strong local voices who understand this region, not more of the Prime Minister’s cronies.”
But Labour said that Ms Kestner offered fresh hope for the area after years of SNP failure.
A Scottish Labour spokesperson said: “The SNP has failed the Highlands and Islands for too long, but in 2026 we can choose a change in direction with Scottish Labour.
“All Scottish Labour candidates are democratically selected by local members and Eva Kestner will be a fantastic champion for this community.”
It is understood that Ms Kestner will not be seeking re-election as a councillor when her current term ends in May 2026.
