The generation game: dynasties vie in council by-election

The Kilmory Castle chamber in Lochgilphead already boasts one mother and son duo: councillors Amanda Hampsey and Daniel Hampsey, representing Oban South and the Isles and Dunoon, respectively, for the Conservatives.

But after a by-election on Thursday July 18, voters could introduce a second mother and son, or a father and daughter, or say one political dynasty is enough for now.

Five candidates are standing in the by-election for the Kintyre and the Islands ward, following the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Robin Currie, who represented the area for almost 40 years.

Ward 2, with an electorate of just under 6,000 people, includes the mainland surrounding Carradale to Kilberry, and the Isles of Islay, Jura, Colonsay and Gigha.

Two former councillors are giving it another go. One is Donald Kelly, who previously represented the South Kintyre ward since 2001, initially as a Conservative but latterly as an independent. Mr Kelly resigned from the council in 2023, triggering a by-election won by his daughter, independent councillor Jennifer Kelly, now his election agent.

He is competing against a second veteran councillor to voluntarily leave office. Anne Horn, an SNP councillor for Kintyre and the Islands from 2007 until she stood down in 2022, hopes to return to her old seat for her party, aided by her election agent, SNP councillor for South Kintyre, John Armour.

Ms Horn is joined by two new hopefuls (who are also not related to any other councillor in the chamber, as far as we know): Douglas MacDonald for the Liberal Democrats, and Alan McManus for the Freedom Alliance, a UK Libertarian party.

Daniel Hampsey is the election agent for the fifth and final candidate, Elizabeth Redman, who is standing for the Conservatives - the party once represented by her son, the now independent councillor for Kintyre and the Islands, Alastair Redman. If victorious, it would create a second mother and son twosome in Argyll and Bute Council, in the same ward, but in different parties.

If one dynasty, the Kellys or the Redmans, wins over the other, the next question might be about dynamic: how well would a parent and child work together?