Headteacher quits as Scottish Labour candidate for Holyrood election

Scottish Labour has suffered a blow after one of their top candidates for the Holyrood election pulled out. Headteacher Stuart Clark, regarded as one of Labour’s best newbies for the May poll, quit after deciding to stay in education. Party leader Anas Sarwar is believed to be happy with the quality of candidates selected so far in the fight against the SNP . He name-checked a number of his Holyrood hopefuls during a recent Glasgow Caledonian University speech and Clark was said to be a favourite. Clark, headteacher of Mearns Castle High School near Glasgow, had been selected in Renfrewshire North and Cardonald earlier this year. But in a social media post, he announced his decision to resign the candidacy: “I wanted to share an update regarding next year’s election. After careful consideration, I have decided to withdraw my candidacy. “As many know, I remain deeply committed to education and public service, and stepping back as a candidate at this stage has not been an easy decision. However, it is the right one for me at this time due to changes in my personal and family circumstances. “I’ve been inspired by the vision and leadership shown by Anas and Jackie, and I’m confident that the team will continue to offer a real opportunity for change. I look forward to supporting our new candidate in what I firmly believe can be a Labour gain next year. “Thank you to everyone who has offered encouragement and support — it means a great deal. I hope to see many of you out on the campaign trail as we work towards delivering a better future for our communities.” Clark grew up in Paisley and was the first person in his family to go to university. He worked as an NHS call handler before going into teaching. A Scottish Labour spokesperson said: “We want to thank Stuart for his service and dedication. “We wish him all the very best for the future.” Opinion polls show Scottish Labour around 17 points behind the SNP after a fall in support for the UK Government. To sign up to the Daily R ecord Politics newsletter, click here