Andrew Russell

I was born in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia), before my family returned to my father’s hometown of Ayr, where I began secondary school. I joined the Royal Navy as an Artificer and served for 22 years on frigates and submarines. I then spent a further 20 years as a subsea oil and gas electrical engineer, working worldwide on major subsea construction projects until retirement.

I later joined my local Community Council, initially assisting constituents with planning matters before serving as Chair for the past six years. This experience has highlighted a system dominated by bureaucracy, costly consultations, and decision-making that is often delayed or flawed – issues also reflected at the Holyrood level.

Too often, problems are not addressed early, leading to wasted public money. There has been a lack of strategic planning, with disconnected developments and excessive party-political silos. In metropolitan Ayr, including Prestwick and Troon, former industrial sites remain underused, while retail and hospitality sectors have declined under pressure from rising costs and regulation.

Our west coast’s tourism, heritage, and natural assets should be far better utilised, yet closures and neglect have contributed to visible decline. Meanwhile, key priorities such as the NHS, social care, and education standards have not received the attention they deserve.

We need more town-centre housing to support local businesses and revitalise communities. Reform UK is the only party committed to rebuilding a strong economy, getting people back to work, and addressing everyday issues such as infrastructure and local neglect. A vote for Reform UK is a vote for meaningful change.