TWO challengers have been announced as the race to become East Lothian’s next MP gets under way.

Current MP George Kerevan immediately announced his intention to stand again following last week's announcement that a General Election would take place this summer.

Now, the Scottish Conservatives have confirmed Sheila Low will attempt to win the seat from the SNP MP, while independent candidate Mike Allan is looking to do the same on June 8.

Labour, the Lib Dems and the Greens are all expected to announce their candidates in the coming days

Mr Kerevan has now been officially endorsed as the SNP candidate for the General Election, with the decision taken at a packed East Lothian Constituency Association meeting at St Andrew Blackadder, North Berwick.

He said: "I am proud to know that I have the support of so many of our members who, like me, love East Lothian, and care passionately about the wellbeing of the people living here.

"They are currently working hard towards an SNP victory in the council elections, and I am grateful to be assured that they will work just as hard to see me re-elected."

Meanwhile, nearly 100 local Conservative members attended a selection meeting on Tuesday evening and chose to adopt Mrs Low, of Dirleton, as the party’s candidate.

She was educated at Loretto School, in Musselburgh, and later served as Governor of Loretto for more than 15 years.

Now, she is hoping to build on David Roach’s attempt in 2015, when the Conservative candidate finished behind Labour’s Fiona O’Donnell and Mr Kerevan.

Mrs Low said: “I am incredibly excited to have been selected to stand in my home county.

“I have lived and worked in East Lothian for many years and am eager to provide a strong voice for it in Westminster.

“It’s clear that Labour are in disarray, and that Jeremy Corbyn isn’t cut out to fight for the UK in the upcoming Brexit negotiations.

“As such it is only the Scottish Conservatives who are capable of standing up to the SNP and their plans for an unwanted second referendum.

“I am looking forward to the campaign and taking this message around the doors in the coming months – we can take the fight to the SNP here in East Lothian.”

Meanwhile, Dr Allan, of Tranent, is also hoping to succeed Mr Kerevan and highlighted the benefits of voting for an independent.

He said: “Unlike the party candidates, who take orders from their party machines and who are seemingly obsessed with national issues, I am committed to working as hard as I can to see East Lothian actually thrive and develop in a balanced way. 

“For too long the sitting MPs for East Lothian have walked away with the prize of election, forgetting that they were elected here to be based here, to fight for local jobs, education, social welfare and housing, and of course maintaining and developing our environment and our tourism economy.

“The next MP for East Lothian cannot reverse Brexit, nor directly influence the future of Scotland’s independence debate, nor should they think they can. 

“So, that being said, for me it is all about local issues.”

Dr Allan also stood as an independent candidate at the last election in 2015 but finished last out of the seven candidates.

He added: “Independent candidates undoubtedly get a rough deal out of the First past the Post electoral system. 

“However, the people of East Lothian at least now have the opportunity to deliver a different outcome, and so they can choose me if they see fit. 

“I am sure that in 2015 I was a lot of voters ‘second choice’. 

“This time, I seek to ask all voters to think long and hard about what their MP can do for them, and trust me to represent them.”