Holyrood elections 2026: Everything you need to know about Almond Valley
Need for new health centre one of top concerns in constituency with biggest electorate
The boundary changes carried out across Scotland ahead of these elections have left Almond Valley as the constituency with the biggest electorate in the country at 68,871.
The seat, centre on Livingston, has been altered only slightly, with the village of Seafield moved into the new Bathgate constituency.
Justice Secretary Angela Constance has been the SNP here since winning the seat from Labour in 2007 - its name was changed from Livingston to Almond Valley in 2011 - and she had a comfortable majority of 12,130 at the last election in 2021.
Asked about the issues which are concerning people, Ms Constance says there is frustration with the council over potholes and "local angst" about previous plans for a new East Calder High School.
But she welcomes a manifesto commitment to a new health centre for East Calder, which is included in the Scottish Government infrastructure development pipeline - although other candidates in the election say local people are "dejected" that work on the new centre will not begin until 2031.
Ms Constance says: "The blockage to East Calder Health Centre was that NHS Lothian had never managed to provide a competent and approved business case for it. I've been very pleased I have been able to support the local community and with Neil Gray the health secretary we have been able to unlock the stalemate on this. The next immediate steps are to develop that business case which will finalise the costings and help identify the site and what other health services should be located there."
She says people feel short-changed by the UK Labour government. "It is very apparent in this election that there's buyer's regret in terms of the Westminster general election, when a lot of people voted Labour to get rid of the Tories, but feel they have just got more of the same."
Inevitably, the cost of living is a big issue. "People value what the SNP has already delivered in terms of no tuition fees, no prescription charges and peak rail fares gone for good.
“But there is a desire for more affordable homes, so our £5bn investment over the next four years is important; support for first time buyers is popular; as is our offer to expand childcare.”
She also highlights the manifesto proposals to cap bus fares and the cost of essential food items and the SNP's calls for the UK Government to do more on the cost of energy.
"And that obviously plays into more powers for Scotland. If Keir Starmer won't step up to the plate to tackle the cost of energy, which has a massive impact on households and businesses, then he should get out of the road and give the powers to Scotland."
Labour candidate Jordan Stokoe is a former football referee and works as a technology transformation specialist for one of the four big auditing firms. He is on West Calder and Harburn community council and the board of trustees for West Calder community hub.
He’s a first time candidate who joined the Labour party in 2023. He says: "I kept shouting at the TV, every other politician that came on, and the missus said I had to put up or shut up and I couldn't shut up."
Potholes are the top issue people mention, he says. And there is a lot of concern about not being able to get GP and dental appointments.
Mr Stokoe is also campaigning on East Calder Health Centre, which desperately needs new premises with more space. "Residents say the promise of a new health centre goes back decades. NHS Lothian has prioritised it in the past and now we're told it's been added to the infrastructure delivery pipeline but the planning assumption is it won't start construction until 2031. People are dejected."
And with West Lothian's growing population, housing is a big local issue. "Everyone sees lots of houses getting built in West Lothian, but there is real frustration at the types of houses being built - lots of 4 and 5 bedroom houses. It's great wanting people to come in and contribute to the economy, but how do we support people who are already here, who are ready to make that first step onto the housing ladder or people who are having to pay extortionate rents because they can't get the housing that's affordable for them or older people in larger accommodation desperate to get a bungalow, but can’t find one?"
The Conservative candidate is Damian Doran-Timson, who has been a councillor for nine years. He too highlights the need for a new East Calder Heath Centre. “It’s operating with about four times as many patients as it was built for and it's literally falling apart at the seams. It's not fit for purpose. The staff are stretched beyond belief.”
And he says residents in the East Calder and Calderwood area also want a high school. “The promise of a high school was in the local development plan, but is not forthcoming. There has been a lot of engagement with the Calderwood residents and the council has listened to them, but they need funding.”
On the economy and the cost of living, Mr Doran-Thomson says: “Scotland shouldn’t be taxed higher than the rest of the United Kingdom because that's having a damaging effect on everyone and attracting business to the area.
“With its central location and the roads and rail network, West Lothian should be having to fight businesses off to come here, but unfortunately it isn't the case. I think there is a serious call to be made on the Scottish Government to put more resources into attracting more businesses into the area to regenerate the economy.”
And he says councils need fairer funding. “As a councillor, I’m aware how horrendously underfunded councils have been. In West Lothian, over the last 15 years, they've had to reduce the budget by £170m. We need fairer funding to make sure they can deliver the services people expect.”
Liberal Democrat candidate Caron Lindsay is focusing mainly on persuading people to vote for the party with their list vote.
“West Lothian is now in the new Central Scotland and Lothians West region and I think there's a real possibility we'll get a list MSP here. People respond very well to the fact on that peach ballot it could well come down to a fight between the Lib Dems and Reform for the last seat on the list.
“In 2024, the SNP vote was very soft; it's now like candyfloss. There is no enthusiasm for voting SNP. Nor do people particularly want to vote Labour.
“They know we're not making outrageous promises which we can’t deliver. They like the practical things we've got in terms of healthcare and proper workforce planning for the NHS. and the fact we're talking about 2,000 more pupil support assistants."
The Reform candidate is Malcolm Jones.
Candidates
CONSTANCE Angela - Scottish National Party (SNP)
DORAN-TIMSON Damian - Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
JONES Malcolm Kevin - Reform UK
LINDSAY Caron - Scottish Liberal Democrats
STOKOE Jordan - Scottish Labour Party
2021 result
Angela Constance SNP 22,675