Highland Liberal Democrat MP Charles Kennedy is to hold a succession of public meetings in his Ross, Skye & Lochaber constituency in the week before voters across Europe go to the polls. Details of the meetings will be published next week, but venues are expected to include Dingwall, Beauly, Fort William and Broadford.

Mr Kennedy – who is also President of the European Movement – hopes to use the meetings to hold open conversations with local people about the future of Europe and its significance for the Highlands, as well as the other issues which have so far dominated the campaign.Charles Kennedy MP: Ross, Skye & Lochaber

At the final meeting – due to be held in Fort William on the eve of poll, Wednesday 3rd June – Mr Kennedy will be joined by top Scottish Liberal Democrat Euro Candidate George Lyon, who served as MSP for neighbouring Argyll and Bute until 2007. If Mr Lyon is successful on Thursday 4th June, he will become the first MEP from the Highlands & Islands for 10 years.

Commenting, Charles Kennedy said:

“The revelations of recent weeks about MPs’ expenses have made people feel like their representatives live in a different world.

“The onus is on politicians to disprove that impression, or be damned by association with those who have made unjustifiable claims.

“I hope these meetings will give an opportunity to address that issue, which is quite reasonably uppermost in people’s minds. I also want to talk about the elections on 4th June, and the significance of European co-operation to the Highlands’ future.

“Just as secrecy about expenses only made matters worse at Westminster, public disengagement will do nothing to deliver the reformed, democratic Europe that I want to see.

“We need to elect a team of MEPs which is committed to making the European Parliament work for the people of Scotland. I hope that George Lyon will be among their number so that a voice from the Highlands & Islands in particular can be heard in Brussels again.”

Notes:

* The European Movement is an all-party organisation campaigning for the European Union to become more democratic and effective, and for the UK to play a full role within it.

* Details of the public meetings are being finalised and will be circulated next week, when advertisements will also appear in the local press. The meetings are expected to be held in Broadford on Monday 1st June, in Dingwall and Beauly on Tuesday 2nd June and in Fort William on Wednesday 3rd June.