The Advertiser has invited General Election candidates standing to represent Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber to share their views on key topics to the area.

This week, SNP candidate Brendan O'Hara writes about his priorities for Helensburgh and Lomond.

Visitors to this area, as they travelled through Cardross and Helensburgh, up Loch Lomond side to the villages of Luss, Tarbert and Arrochar, could be forgiven for believing that in an area of such amazing natural beauty and with such an abundance of magnificent Victorian architecture, and the occasional ostentatious display of personal wealth, that we wouldn’t have the same issues of child poverty, social deprivation, isolation, reliance on Foodbanks and deep inequality that exists in more urban areas of the country.

But they’d be wrong… because amid the plenty, there is real poverty.

Unlike urban poverty however, rural poverty can often be very difficult to spot, as there can be a reluctance to ask for help, or to know where to go, and how to access support services.

I know, from years of experience, that behind too many front doors in Helensburgh and Lomond there exists real poverty and deep inequality.

From the scourge of child poverty, fuelled by Austerity and scandal of the two-child benefit cap, to pensioner poverty, exacerbated by the scandalous betrayal of WASPI women, there are too many individuals and families struggling to make ends meet.

And we all owe our voluntary organisations, third sector organisations, and charities a huge debt of gratitude for the work they do in helping our vulnerable people when they need it most.

If re-elected I promise to keep working closely with all the local support agencies, while at Westminster I will continue to fight against Austerity, the inhumane two-child benefit cap, and for justice for the WASPI women.