Harbouring ambition: Voters' hopes ahead of Aberdeen South by-election

Harbouring ambition: Voters' hopes ahead of Aberdeen South by-election8 hours agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleLouise Hosie,BBC ScotlandandKen Banks,North east Scotland reporter, AberdeenBBCBob Sanguinetti is the Port of Aberdeen's chief executiveAberdeen South is at the heart of the offshore energy industry - but voters care about what happens on dry land too. The constituency covers part of the city's commuter belt - Peterculter, Milltimber and Bieldside - as well as the more urban areas near the harbour, such as Torry. That's where many residents are still dealing with the fallout from the discovery that their homes were built with a potentially dangerous building material. Meanwhile, £420m has been invested into the South Harbour development at the nearby Port of Aberdeen in recent years. It now means many large cruise ships can dock in the Granite City, but the port has still been affected by the fall in oil and gas activity. Bosses say the South Harbour has yet to reach its full potential, and hope that whoever becomes Aberdeen South's new MP will fight their corner.Candidates for by-elections to replace former MPs announcedVoters in Aberdeen South will head to the polls on Thursday 18 June.It is one of three UK by-elections that day. There is another in nearby Arbroath and Broughty Ferry, as well as a high-profile one in Makerfield, Greater Manchester.That final contest could have big political ramifications, with Andy Burnham trying to get into Westminster to rock the Labour Party boat.But the importance of Aberdeen South should not be underplayed.It has been held by the SNP's Stephen Flynn since 2019.In the 2024 General Election, he took 32.8% of the vote, ahead of Labour and the Conservatives. However, after he became an MSP last month, the seat was up for grabs.Bob Sanguinetti, the Port of Aberdeen's chief executive, wants the successful candidate to call for a more "robust and holistic energy strategy".&q...