Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP will be visiting the Highlands later today to campaign for Angus MacDonald, the party’s Westminster candidate for Ross, Skye and Lochaber, following the news that the constituency’s current MP, Ian Blackford, will step down at the next general election.
Ross, Skye and Lochaber is the former constituency of Charles Kennedy and the Liberal Democrats are campaigning to win it back from the SNP.
Speaking ahead of the visit, Mr Cole-Hamilton said:
“After losing Charles Kennedy as their MP in 2015, the people of Ross, Skye and Lochaber have been deprived of effective representation.
“As public servants, it is incumbent on us to reflect the better natures of the people we seek to serve.
“Nobody did that with more decency and grace than Charles.
“At the next election, we will bring Charles Kennedy’s old constituency back into the Liberal Democrat fold by electing Angus MacDonald to Westminster.
“Angus cares passionately about this area and its people.
“As a successful local businessman and Highland councillor, Angus will protect jobs, create opportunities and secure a better deal for people right across the region.
“He is already campaigning on the issues that matter, such as replacing the Belford Hospital, regenerating local high streets and improving the A82.
“Ian Blackford and the SNP have failed the West Highlands.
“Powers and budgets have been centralised to Holyrood and there has been a complete dearth of infrastructure spend since they came to power.
“Everybody knows that this seat is going to be a straight fight between my party and the nationalists.
“It’s a choice between a fresh start with local Liberal Democrat Angus MacDonald or more of the same with the central-belt centric SNP.”
