I’m standing in the twinned constituencies of Galloway and West Dumfries and Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire and I’d be most grateful for your support.

I am proud to represent the Scottish Labour and Scottish Co-operative Party as a local councillor.

I'm an experienced rural local councillor in the South of Scotland and I’m passionate about regenerating our high streets and restoring trust in our politics and institutions. We need investment and support to regenerate our rural communities.

I am the strong voice who can pull together the winning formula to defeat the SNP and the Conservatives in 2026. We need Scottish Labour MSPs at the heart of government shaping policy in rural South of Scotland and delivering change.

I am a prolific campaigner. I was elected as a Scottish Labour and Scottish Co-operative councillor in 2022 and gained my seat from a popular independent councillor. My success contributed to Scottish Labour gaining control of the administration from the SNP. I also served two terms as the Chair of my CLP where I provided leadership and strategic direction.

As a caseworker for a Scottish Labour Member of Parliament, I’ve also helped people navigate a wide range of complex issues. I know how to listen, how to fight for solutions, and how to get results. Whether it’s helping a young family access housing or supporting older residents who feel left behind by cuts to services, I bring compassion, commitment and action to everything I do.

Before I entered politics I worked as a freelance journalist, writing about military and family history. That work taught me the importance of listening, researching deeply, and telling stories that matter – skills I now use every day in politics.

How we understand our past helps us fight for a better future.

I grew up in a Labour household, my mother worked in local government as a librarian and my dad worked at the Nissan motor manufacturing plant. It was my experiences in a call centre on a zero-hour contract that cemented my Labour values. It was precarious, insecure work – like so many jobs across Scotland. That experience deepened my belief in the power of trade union representation. No one should face exploitative conditions without support or protection. Fair work, decent pay, and union rights are at the heart of Labour’s mission.

I understand deeply the challenges our communities face. People are waiting too long for the NHS treatments that will save or enhance their lives. Young people are not getting the opportunities in our schools that they deserve and people in rural communities are struggling to find secure, decent work. NHS waiting times are too long and access to maternity services are too difficult.

My experience as a councillor has given me first hand insight into the pressures families face, including access to public transport, food poverty and affordable housing. As a local councillor I have dealt with vulnerable constituents who are working through complex domestic abuse issues and constituents struggling with poor housing.

I have also worked with local community groups to help regenerate our rural villages and to safeguard local facilities through asset transfers.

Our communities deserve representatives that will deliver growth and stability. Our communities deserve a fresh start.

I will be a strong voice in Holyrood. I’ll bring experience, energy and a determination to deliver real change across our Region. I love this area and I’m ready to fight for it.

I hope I can count on your support.

Ross Gowland