North Ayrshire Labour have announced that island resident Charles Currie will be the party’s candidate for the forthcoming Arran by-election.

He will be one of six candidates standing in the by-election on September following the resignation of Conservative councillor for the island, Timothy Billings.

Charles' family connection to Arran goes back hundreds of years, with his family owning a farm at Drumadoon, Shiskine, which Charles ran in the 1970s and 80s.

His working life has seen him serve as manager for the Isle of Arran Tourist Board and the Argyll and the Island’s Enterprise Company in the 1990’s.

His successful DJ business organised discos, including founding the renowned 'Shiski Diski' in 1968, and provided music at many island weddings.

He ended his varied working career as one of the island's posties.

A former chair of the Arran Ferry Commitee, member of Arran Community Council, chair of Shiskine Hall Committee and the man behind The Fanatic, a long-running football column in the Arran Banner newspaper, Charles has given decades of dedicated service to the island’s residents in a host of unpaid, voluntary roles.

Today, Charles is a welcoming face to the island’s many visitors as a guide at the Isle of Arran Heritage Museum.

Charles said: “I am delighted to have been selected as the Labour candidate for Arran, a party I have been a member of for many years. 

“I have served Arran residents in a variety of roles over the years but have never stood for election before. That changes today. 

“The way the SNP’s ferry fiasco has damaged this island means enough is enough. With my community links, and varied experience including in tourism and with the Arran Ferry Committee, I am ready to serve my island as our elected councillor.”

His five rivals represent the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, Reform UK and the Greens, as well as one independent - though there will be no candidate on the ballot paper representing the SNP.

Irene Campbell, newly elected last month as the Scottish Labour MP for North Ayrshire and Arran, added: “Labour’s victory at last month’s General Election showed that people on Arran want change. 

“There isn’t a resident, community group or business on the island that hasn’t suffered because of the SNP’s ferry fiasco.

"The SNP government have abandoned Arran over the ferries. Now the SNP council administration have abandoned the island by not even standing a candidate."

She added: "Only Labour, with a candidate who has a rich history of working for Arran, can deliver the change the island needs.”

The Arran by election candidates are: Charles Currie, Scottish Labour Party; James Andrew McMaster, Independent; Mackenzie Smith, Scottish Conservative and Unionist; Matt Taylor, Scottish Liberal Democrats; Carole Thomson, Reform UK; and Neil Alexander Wilkinson, Scottish Greens.

Voting gets under way at 7am on Thursday, September 12, and polling places will remain open until 10pm.

The count, which is carried out electronically, will be held the following day on Friday, September 13.