Cathy Jamieson

Cathy Jamieson is the Labour & Co-op MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley Constituency.

She was born in Kilmarnock and was one of the first pupils to benefit from comprehensive education in Ayrshire. On leaving James Hamilton Academy she went on to study at Glasgow School of Art, graduating with a BA ( Hons ).

On election to the Scottish Parliament in 1999, she initially served on the Transport and Environment Committee, and was Deputy Convenor of the European Committee. She joined the Education Committee during its Inquiry into the SQA, and also spent time on the Rural Affairs Committee.

In 2001, she was appointed Minister for Education and Young People,  and steered legislation on child protection and reform of the SQA through Parliament, as well as commencing the biggest school building programme in a generation, and modernising Social Work education.

Following the 2003 election, she was appointed Justice Minister, and held this post until May 2007, when the administration changed. In addition to taking a substantial Justice legislative programme  through parliament ( 14 bills including reform of Courts , vulnerable witnesses, management of offenders, policing,  family  law, legal aid and legal profession, Scottish Commission on Human Rights ) she took a leading role on anti social behaviour, tackling violence and sectarianism and commissioned a major review of Scotland's Civil Justice system.

Cathy was Deputy Leader of Labour in the Scottish Parliament from 2000 until June 2008, when she stood down. She is currently Labour's Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing.  She also chairs the Unite Group of MSPs in the Scottish Parliament.

George Leslie

An SNP member for 45 years, George was a Councillor in Strathclyde and Glasgow, where he was Group Leader. He was former Deputy Leader of the SNP and Vice-Convener for Policy and Local Government.

As convener of Kilmarnock and Loudoun CA for 10 years, he saw the SNP won the Holyrood seat and control of East Ayrshire Council. He stood the by-election candidate at Pollok 1967 and Hillhead 1983.

A founding member of EFA – European Free Alliance, he is now a veterinary surgeon. He has run his own practice in Glasgow for 38 years and, along with his wife, maintains boarding kennels at Fenwick.

He is chairman of charity Canine Concern Scotland incorporating Therapet, with over 500 visitors helping the elderly and infirm throughout Scotland.

Janette McAlpine

Dr Janette McAlpine is 38 and lives in Stewarton with fiancé James and baby daughter, Sarah. She was born and brought up in Central Scotland and went to secondary school in Uddingston, before attending Paisley University, where she completed a PhD in environmental management with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Janette comes from a family of small business owners and has always been passionate about protecting local businesses and towns from the "Tesco-town" effect. She is the Knowledge Transfer Manager for Glasgow Caledonian University and works with researchers and businesses to create a secure and vibrant economy for Scotland. As the former Speaking in Public Director of Glasgow Junior Chamber of Commerce, Janette has debated in competitions at a national level.

Janette is a seasoned political campaigner for the Conservative Party and has campaigned for more police on the beat, increased local services and spoke up against local hospital closures. She stood as a Candidate in the 2007 elections in Kilmarnock and Loudoun and has previously represented Glasgow South in the Westminster elections.

Sebastian Tombs

Sebastian has lived in Central Edinburgh since 1976 and has worked in the fields of housing renewal, and the promotion of good design, architecture and planning for over 30 years.

In 1991 he was a founding member of the Scottish Ecological Design Association; and in 1995 he was a founder of the Association for Project Safety, now a thriving UK body promoting safety in construction. He served on the 1997 Lord Provost's Commission on Sustainable Development, from which many innovative initiatives in the City have flowed; and was on the 2007 Sullivan Committee which made recommendations to the Scottish Government on the future changes to the Building Standards to achieve low carbon buildings.

He has served on his local Community Council and for recreation, he sings tenor in a respected Edinburgh choir, Cadenza, enjoys his guitar and writing songs, designs cartograms, and has been known to cycle backwards for long distances as a fund-raising ploy.