JOHN NICOLSON has outlined his views and aims as he leads the SNP’s campaign in Clackmannanshire.

The MP, formerly of the Ochil and South Perthshire ward, is now leading the charge to maintain the party’s position in the county.

Mr Nicolson attended Sauchie’s Gig in the Garden event on Saturday and spoke with voters alongside John Swinney, the party leader and First Minister.

After discussions with attendees, Mr Nicolson outlined his personal aims for his campaign and what he needs voters to know before they go to the polling stations next month.

“I love campaigning,” Mr Nicolson said. “This is the fourth campaign and I really enjoy it.

“I went on a radio show recently and I gave my message which was anti-Brexit, pro public investment, pro progressive taxation and pro immigration.

“The audience were clapping and cheering because no one is giving a voice to all of these people who just have an alternative point of view.

“I don’t think it’s a minority point of view, I think in England there’s nobody representing them but here in Scotland, it’s the SNP.”

During Mr Nicolson and Mr Swinney’s visit, voters outlined their dissatisfaction with spending cuts which have hindered the communities for so long.

The First Minister vowed that he would look to stop the increase in cuts should they dominate the vote in Scotland, whereas Mr Nicolson provided some added insight as to why the cuts are having to be made.

He added: “People have got to understand that Scotland is not like Denmark or Ireland or the UK Government.

“We can’t go out and borrow like independent countries. Without more progressive taxation, most people in Scotland pay less tax but people with a better salary, pay a little bit more.

“That’s given us an extra £1.2 billion that we can invest and I think people living in Scotland don’t quite realise the distinction between Scotland and England.

“For Scotland, there’s free university education and we’ve taken the railways back into public hands, free prescriptions and free dental care for the young.

“There’s a whole range of things from Westminster that we’ve been able to do but people have got to recognise that so long as we are in the United Kingdom, we are given a block grant.

“We have to work out where cuts are to be made if that grant is reduced and we’ve done our best to mitigate it.

“Long term, we need to get back into the European Union and we desperately need people to live and work here.

“Scotland’s need to be independent within the European Union for people in the younger generation to have the same advantages I had when I was that age – the right to live, work and move freely throughout the European Union.”