In his latest column, Councillor Maurice Corry discusses the aftermath of the 2024 General Election for his Scottish Conservative Party.

The dust is beginning to settle on the General Election in what was undoubtedly a tough night for my party.

Many big names UK-wide lost their seats and obviously on a personal level I was disappointed not to be elected in the West Dunbartonshire constituency.

However, I am proud of the campaign I ran locally – albeit one which was disrupted by having to have an operation which I am recovering from – which focused on the issues that really matter to local people.

I congratulate Douglas McAllister on being elected as the area’s new MP and to all candidates for a cleanly fought campaign.

I was also disappointed not to see our candidate – Amanda Hampsey – elected in the new Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber seat which covered Helensburgh and the surrounding communities.

Amanda was a fantastic candidate who spoke to thousands of people over the course of her campaign, focusing on the real priorities facing those living and working here and showcased how she would have been a real local champion as their MP.

Amanda’s campaign showed how her local knowledge meant that she truly understood the challenges and concerns of voters across the constituency and how she had a vision to fix them, and would be a strong voice at Westminster.

As Amanda, myself – and other Scottish Conservative activists – highlighted throughout the campaign, it was clear that this constituency was a two-horse race between Amanda and the SNP and so it proved to be.

The split in the vote among pro-UK parties ultimately allowed SNP MP Brendan O’Hara to be re-elected, rather than seeing Amanda gain the seat.

I congratulate Brendan on his re-election but alongside Amanda, as an Argyll and Bute councillor I will be continuing to hold him to account and ensuring that he is focused on the issues that really matter to people here.

Away from the General Election, I was delighted to hear that the Waverley Paddle Steamer will be doing a sail past in Helensburgh on Sunday, August 18.

With this iconic steamer sailing as close as possible to the pier, this is a major vote of confidence as efforts continue to restore Helensburgh Pier.

I hope that this can be the first step in ensuring that not just sail pasts – but regular stop-offs from the Waverley once again become a regular feature in our town.

Alongside the local community – who have been working tirelessly on this project – I am fully supportive of all the efforts to save and regenerate the pier.

I am determined that our pier will again be a vital asset for our local economy and I know that many local residents will join me in celebrating the sail past of the Waverley next month at Helensburgh Pier.