Cllr Aileen Morton is third on the list for the West of Scotland, behind Katy Gordon and Ashay Ghai, a councillor for East Dunbartonshire.

She will be contesting the West Scotland region – which Helensburgh and Lomond falls into.

The seven West regional seats are currently held by SNP MSPs Stuart Maxwell and Stuart McMillan; Conservatives Jackson Carlaw and Annabel Goldie; and Labour’s Neil Bibby, Mary Fee, and Margaret McDougall.

Labour’s Jackie Baillie is currently Helensburgh and Lomond’s constituency MSP.

Cllr Morton, who currently represents Helensburgh Central, and contested the West Dunbartonshire seat at this year’s UK general election, said she ‘just decided to go for it’.

She said she ‘may stand’ for a constituency seat, adding: “I may still put my name forward. They have not been selected yet.

“I’m third on the list for candidacy. If there is one list candidate, it would be Katy – it would need three representatives for me to be chosen.” When asked whether or not the recent SNP landslide in the general election would be replicated in Holyrood next year, she said: “Because of the proportional representation system, there is the potential as you never know in politics, but the talk has been for the SNP to take a high number of seats.

“Even if they take a high number, there’s still a good chance for other parties to be represented because of the proportional representation system.” The Liberal Democrats suffered a heavy backlash in the general election, losing nearly 50 seats across the UK. The Liberal Democrat party voted to increase student tuition fees despite pledging in their manifesto for 2010’s general election they wouldn’t, which led to heavy criticism of the party after they joined a coalition to form a majority with the Conservative party.

Cllr Morton said: “Fingers crossed, the Lib Dems in the Scottish Parliament have a very different history, I would hope things would be different.

“There is a need for different voices, and liberal voices, they have campaigned for changes to the police service. In particular the Lib Dems have been the leading voice on the opposition of ID cards.” She said she hoped turnout would be good for next year’s election, adding: “Following the referendum the turnout was higher for the general election this year, I would hope that would persist.Fingers crossed it will be a high turn out.” Asked if potentially challenging Jackie Baillie for the Dumbarton seat was daunting, she added: “It’s not something I’m thinking about, we will see what happens.” Michael Russell has been re-selected unanimously for the SNP to contest Argyll and Bute’s constituency seat.