THE Helensburgh public have been heading to the polls today to place their vote in the UK general election – and the four Argyll and Bute candidates have been busy pounding the streets of one of the country’s biggest constituencies in the run-up to the vote.

Polling stations opened at 7am and voters have until 10pm to head along and vote as the SNP, Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Labour wait to see who will represent Argyll and Bute in the House of Commons.

Brendan O’Hara, who won the seat for the SNP in 2015 with a majority of 8,473, has been busy touring the constituency over the last two weeks, meeting voters in Campbeltown, Dunoon, Tarbert, Islay, Gigha, Rothesay and Oban – where he was joined by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon – after kicking off his campaign in Helensburgh.

In a post on Facebook, Mr O’Hara said: “On June 8, Scotland will face one of the most important General Elections ever – an election that will go a long way to shaping the kind of country Scotland will be in the future.

“Now more than ever we need strong SNP voices at Westminster.”

Conservative challenger Gary Mulvaney insisted this week that the Argyll and Bute contest was a straight fight between his party and the SNP.

Mr Mulvaney said: “National issues have dominated the campaign, along with IndyRef2, which never seems to go away.

“Lots of people are asking about tactical voting and how to get rid of the SNP.

“All the evidence from the recent council elections, national polls and independent websites such as Electoral Calculus, is that only a Conservative vote will stop the SNP in Argyll and Bute. My message is for unionists to stick together and vote Conservative.

“That message is getting through on the doorsteps with lots of  Lib Dem switchers. It’s going to be close.”

But Liberal Democrat candidate Alan Reid, who is hoping to win back the seat he held from 2001 until 2015, believes he is the candidate best placed to take back the seat from the SNP.

He said: “I was the local MP when the independence referendum took place and am completely opposed to holding another. The first gave a clear verdict against independence.

“I saw at first-hand how nothing got done during the run-up to the referendum and we can’t afford to spend another two years debating the same thing.

“Education standards in Scotland are slipping badly and the NHS needs more investment, particularly mental health. We should concentrate on these matters, not independence.”

Asked about the local issues raised with him during the campaign, Mr Reid said: “Concerns about the future of Faslane and the Vale of Leven Hospital come up time after time. When I was the MP I gave my full support to both and would continue to do so if re-elected.

“I’ve met a lot of people whom I helped when I was the MP and they have all promised me their vote. My vote rose in the 2015 general election and I’m confident it will go even higher this time.

“Having finished in clear second place in 2015, I am best positioned to overtake the SNP and regain the seat.

“My first act would be to tell the SNP that my re-election had demonstrated there is no desire in Argyll and Bute for another independence referendum.”

The picture in Argyll and Bute is completed by Labour’s Michael Kelly, whose campaign began late due to his work commitments and who faces an uphill struggle to eat into the vote share of the other parties in a constituency not widely viewed as a Labour stronghold.

The Argyll and Bute result is expected to be declared between 5am and 6am on Friday – keep an eye on the Advertiser’s website and social media accounts for news of the result, and see next week’s issue for all the reaction.