Alex Salmond has insisted the SNP’s Gillian Martin would do a “great job” for Aberdeenshire East.
Ms Martin, who is running to succeed the former First Minister in next month’s Scottish election, has come in for criticism over comments she made in her online blog – including claims the EU had a “tranny trove” of cash and that Mr Salmond was “smug”.
But, as the pair campaigned in Strichen, Mr Salmond said Ms Martin is “exactly the sort of fiesty, independent minded and genuinely local candidate” Aberdeenshire East needed.
They also met with Aberdeenshire representatives from the National Farmer’s Union to discuss the problems facing farmers over the future of the threatened Muller north-east milk processing plant at Tullos.
Mr Salmond said: “Gillian’s campaign is now in full swing.
“I was campaigning with her a couple of weeks ago in Newmachar, last week in New Pitsligo and now in Strichen.
“She receives a warm reception everywhere she goes and is exactly the sort of feisty, independent minded and genuinely local candidate that the north-east takes to their hearts.
“I think Gillian would do a great job for Aberdeenshire East.
“As far as the milk position is concerned, my Aberdeen colleagues are rightly prioritising the jobs at risk in Tullos. However if the closure were to go ahead then there would be a knock on impact to the viability of milk production in the north-east.
“Milk margins are already cut to the bone and therefore the threat of additional charges to transport liquid milk to other Muller’s plants at Bellshill would be enough to drive producers out of business.
“That is why I shall be meeting the company tomorrow with another Aberdeenshire colleague.”
Ms Martin added: “It is great to have so much support in my campaign. Unlike the other parties, the SNP can point to a record of action in the north-east of Scotland.”
Ms Martin faced calls to apologise after her blog posts emerged, but the party insisted they stemmed from a “decade ago”.
Other candidates for Aberdeenshire East include the Conservative’s Colin Clark, Labour’s Sarah Flavell and the Liberal Democrats Christine Jardine.
