Dunfermline by-election: Nominations for candidates close

Dunfermline by-election candidates [from top left] include Cara Hilton, James Reekie, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Zara Kitson, Susan Leslie and Peter Adams

Scotland's main political parties are all fielding candidates in the Scottish Parliament's Dunfermline by-election.

Nominations have now closed for the contest taking place on 24 October.

Labour picked Cara Hilton; Shirley-Anne Somerville is standing for the SNP; the Lib Dems' candidate is Susan Leslie and the Tory choice is James Reekie.

The election is being held to replace former MSP Bill Walker who was jailed for 12 months after being found guilty of 23 domestic abuse charges.

The 71-year-old, from Alloa, had denied attacking three former wives and a step-daughter between 1967 and 1995, but was found guilty at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.

As well as the main political parties, the Scottish Green Party is fielding candidate Zara Kitson and Peter Adams is standing for the UK Independence Party and John Black is standing as an independent.

Labour's Ms Hilton currently represents the Dunfermline South ward on Fife Council. She said the constituency needed an MSP who "would work their socks off".

Website listing

Ms Leslie, representing the Lib Dems, is also a Fife councillor. She said she would work with her party leader Willie Rennie to make sure Dunfermline and west Fife got the service it deserved.

The SNP's Ms Somerville was an MSP for Lothians between 2007 to 2011. She pledged to be a "strong local voice" in Holyrood if she was elected.

Tory candidate, Mr Reekie, was his party's representative for the Dunfermline constituency at the 2011 Holyrood election. He has pledged to fight measures which have hampered businesses in the constituency.

Nominations for the election closed at 16:00.

Final list of candidates

• Shirley-Anne Somerville - SNP

• Cara Hilton - Scottish Labour

• James Reekie - Scottish Conservatives

• Susan Leslie - Scottish Liberal Democrats

• Zara Kitson - Scottish Green Party

• Peter Adams - UKIP

• John Black - Independent