One of the leading figures in Scottish social housing and brother of a prominent Government minister has been selected as the SNP candidate for an imminent council by-election.

Chris Cunningham, younger sibling of cabinet secretary for the environment Roseanna, will contest the Garscadden and Scotstounhill by-election in Glasgow next month.

It follows the death in July of local Labour councillor John Kelly following a period of ill health.

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Director of the Shettleston Housing Association in the east of the city, the 63-year-old's candidature has been billed as an indication of the SNP's attempts to attract a more professional calibre of councillor with an eye to becoming the next administration at the country's biggest local authority next May.

The party has been interviewing and vetting prospective candidates in the city and further afield with the local elections just eight months away.

SNP group leader in Glasgow Susan Aitken said: “I am delighted that the SNP will be fielding a candidate of Chris Cunningham’s calibre in the Garscadden/Scotstounhill by-election. In his working life, Chris has made an enormous contribution to housing and regeneration in Glasgow over many years, and his knowledge and understanding of the challenges facing the city are second to none.

"If elected, he will be a superb local representative and an extremely valuable addition to the SNP’s team of elected members in Glasgow.

“The SNP will be taking nothing for granted in this by-election.”

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The election will be held on October 6 with five candidates expected to contest the seat, which lies in the heart of one of Labour's best performing areas in the city

Potential candidates have until Monday to confirm they are standing. Sources have said the recent defeat of Nicola Sturgeon's father Robin in an Ayrshire by-election, with the SNP cautious of over relying on a family name or the impact of voting transfers.

Mr Kelly died from the advanced stages of Motor Neuron Disease in late July, the second member of the Labour administration to pass away during the current council term.

A prominent figure in the Communication Workers' Union, opponents said he had a reputation for working across party political boundaries.

Mr Cunningham joined the SNP while still a teenager in Australia and has been a party activist for many years.

Currently the convener of the Anniesland constituency branch, he has headed Shettleston Housing Association for over a quarter of a century and was chair of the sector's federation for three years.

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He said: "This area is my home, I have lived here for over 24 years, my children have gone to school and grown up here so it would be a privilege to represent the area at council.

"If elected I will work closely with my party colleagues in the SNP to hold this failing council administration to account and hopefully going forward into a fresh start for Glasgow at the council elections in 2017."