The nominations are closed for the East Ayrshire Council by-election with five candidates declared.  In the coming week Coalfields Solidarity will be canvassing in Muirkirk and Mauchline, comrades from other branches who want to join us contact Jim Monaghan on 07944 217938

Public Meeting, Thursday 27 November, Muirkirk PS IFE Wing, 7.30pm.  Speakers Tommy Sheridan, Jim Walls, Danny Masterton.

Full list of candidates: Iain Fraser (Lib Dems) Janette MacAlpine (Conservatives) Danny Masterton (Solidarity) Roseanne Savage (SNP) David Shaw (Labour)

We have seen some historic events in elections in the last year or two, Ian Paisley and Martin McGuiness sharing power, a smile and a handshake, The SNP coming to Government in Scotland, A black president in the USA.  But we are hoping to add to that tally with what people may think is unlikely, a Solidarity councillor in East Ayrshire.  And, if there is a place to create history then the Ballochmyle ward of East Ayrshire council is the place to do it, there is history in every village, around every corner.  So please indulge me in my pride of my local area and my family with a tour of the ward and it's social history.  It is easy to forget that before we were 'deprived ex-mining communities' we were so much more.
 

A report released yesterday (14 Nov) by watchdog Consumer Focus revealed that energy companies are making over half a billion pounds extra profit from charges on pre-payment meters to their poorer customers. 

Solidarity, Scotland's Socialist Movement have announced their candidate for the forthcoming by-election for the Ballochmyle ward of East Ayrshire Council.  Danny Masterton from Muirkirk was selected by local activists to carry the Solidarity banner in the ballot.  Danny, 54, a former professional footballer, is a well-known local trade unionist who has worked as a miner, fitter and then 10 years in open casts.  He is now a full-time carer.  

Danny is a member of Coalfields Solidarity, formed by workers in Scotland's coal industry. 

The latest by-election campaign for Solidarity is in the Ballochmyle ward of East Ayrshire Council.  The election takes place on December 11 and the Solidarity candidate is Danny Masterton of Coalfields Solidarity.

Ballochmyle is large ward geographically stretching from just outside Galston in the Irvine Valley to Glenbuck on the border with South Lanarkshire, taking in the villages of mauchline, Catrine, Auchinleck, Sorn, Lugar, Logan, Cronberry and Muirkirk.  The local council is a Conservative/SNP coalition and the local MP is Des Browne.

Solidarity has two branches in the area, Ayrshire Solidarity, which takes in the comrades who are based in the Kilmarnock end of East Ayrshire and Coalfields Solidarity taking in the former mining villages in the Cumnock area.

Regular reports and updates from the campaign will appear here on the Solidarity website.

Comrades who wish to come to East Ayrshire to help the campaign should contact Danny's election agent Jim Monaghan of Coalfields Solidarity on 07944 217938.