EIGHT candidates will be contesting the Inverclyde and Renfrewshire West seat at the 2024 UK general election.

The deadline for nominations for those who wished to stand for election as the member of parliament for Inverclyde and Renfrewshire West on July 4 has now passed, with the full list of candidates confirmed.

Ronnie Cowan, who has served as the area’s MP for the last nine years, will stand for the Scottish National Party, while Gourock councillor Martin McCluskey has been put forward as the Scottish Labour Party candidate.

Former Gourock councillor Chris McEleny is standing for the Alba Party, Ross Stalker is standing for the Scottish Liberal Democrats and Ted Runciman has been chosen as the candidate for the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party.

Iain Adams Hamilton has been selected to stand for the Scottish Green Party, with Simon Charles Wheeler Moorehead chosen as the Reform UK candidate.

John Burleigh will be the area’s sole independent candidate.

The election will take place on Thursday 4 July 2024 when polls will be open from 7am and close at 10pm across Inverclyde and Renfrewshire West.

This will be the first UK Parliamentary Election for the new Inverclyde and Renfrewshire West constituency following recent boundary changes.

The Inverclyde constituency area has been enlarged and now includes Bridge of Weir, Houston, and surrounding areas in Renfrewshire West.

It will also be the first election in the area where voter identification – or voter ID – is required for people to be able to cast their vote.

Various forms of ID such as a driving licence, passport, and Scottish National Entitlement cards for bus travel, are all acceptable forms of ID but people can register for a free voter authority certificate if they do not already have a suitable form of identification.