The seven seats are currently held by an SNP majority in the form of Stuart Maxwell, Stewart McMillan, and Bill Wilson. The remaining seats are filled by the Liberal Democrat Ross Finnie, and Conservatives Annabelle Goldie and Jackson Carlaw.

The West Scotland region consists of the constituencies of Clydebank and Milngavie; Cunninghame North; Cunninghame South; Dumbarton; Eastwood; Greenock and Inverclyde; Paisley; Renfrewshire North and West; Renfrewshire South; and Starthkelvin and Bearsden.

So far, the Scottish Green Party, Liberal Democrats, and Solidarity have all announced their candidates to contest the seats.

The Lib Dems are currently deciding between three possible candidates in the form of Katy Gordon, Ashay Ghai, and former MP candidate for West Dunbartonshire seat Aileen Morton. Katy Gordon has yet to be elected to a political position despite standing for MP in Glasgow in 2010 and for MSP in 2011. Ashay Ghai is a councillor in East Dunbartonshire council, and Aileen Morton is currently a councillor in Argyll and Bute.

The Scottish Greens, who according to a recent poll, are set to become Holyrood’s fourth party with a record 10 seats, up eight from their present tally are standing Ross Greer. Greer stood for the East Dunbartonshire MP seat last year losing to the SNP’s John Nicholson.

A new addition to the running this year will take the shape of Solidarity. The party was set up by former Socialist MSP Tommy Sheridan after he split from the party in 2006 and currently has no elected representatives but say they have seen a wave of support since the independence referendum.

Carla Belkevitz from Clydebank is the party’s first ever West Dunbartonshire candidate, she told the Reporter: “West Dunbartonshire has not moved on. I’ve lived here all my life and I see the services being slashed on a daily basis. The area has real problems with poverty and housing and I want to change that.

“I work as an advocate for children with autism, and I want to make real changes. Parents as carers are struggling and children with autism are being denied a voice. Children are being put into mainstream schools that shouldn’t be there, and vice versa. There has to be real education reform.” When asked about being the first ever candidate for the party, Carla told the Reporter: “I’m apprehensive about the negativity towards the party, I’m looking forward to debating the issues and I’d like to avoid any negative campaigning. I think everyone should behave with dignity.

“I want women in politics to build eachother up. I want to see women excel even if we disgree politically.

“Solidarity are offering a real left alternative to the SNP for the peach vote. If everyone uses both votes for the SNP, we could end up with more Labour and Tories. This is a pro-independence socialist party as an alternative to the SNP.” The SNP held their first hustings in the area on Wednesday night, with four candidates debating for the seat.

One of the candidates is elected councillor for Leven, Gail Robertson. The group say they hope to have picked their constituency candidate by August and their list candidate by September.

A spokesman for Scottish Labour said they are currently a ‘long way off’ from deciding on a list candidate.