Carol Mochan, Scottish Labour’s candidate for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley in next year’s Holyrood elections, joined Cathy Jamieson, president of the Keir Hardie Society, to lay red roses on the gravestone.

Community activist Carol said: “Keir Hardie was born in Lanarkshire but lived most of his life in Cumnock.

“He served as the MP for West Ham South in England and then Merthyr Tydfil in Wales but he was a proud Scot who stood for values that transcended national boundaries.

“He was also a great internationalist and campaigner for peace.

“It is fitting that we meet here in Cumnock in the same week that Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale paid tribute to Keir Hardie on her visit to Merthyr.

“Today the Scottish and Welsh Labour Parties take their own decisions about what is best for their countries - that’s devolution. But that doesn’t mean we can’t work together to give people right across the UK a better chance in life.”