Cole-Hamilton: Blackford and Forbes tarred by SNP Highland neglect
During his visit to the Black Isle Show, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP today said that Ian Blackford and Kate Forbes are tarred by their government's neglect of the Highlands.
Alex Cole-Hamilton has been campaigning in Kate Forbes’ seat of Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, just days after the Deputy First Minister announced she will not seek re-election.
Alex is on the campaign trail with local councillor Andrew Baxter, who has been selected as the Scottish Liberal Democrat candidate for the seat at next May’s election.
Earlier this week, it was reported that Ian Blackford is being encouraged to stand as the SNP candidate in Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch. Mr Blackford previously held the equivalent Westminster seat of Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire, which Liberal Democrats won from the SNP at last year’s general election.
Alex Cole-Hamilton said:
“At the Black Isle Show, I’ve been talking to people about our opposition to the cruel family farm tax, about the legislation we’ve tabled to protect food producers and how we’re fighting to secure the future of our agricultural colleges so that younger generations of farmers can earn a fair living.
“The same cannot be said of the SNP, who have repeatedly failed our Highland communities, allowing care homes and GP surgeries to close and failing to complete major road projects like dualling the A9.
“If Ian Blackford does decide to run, he’s going to have to explain to local people why he allowed these failures to happen.
“In the year since the Lib Dems recaptured Charles Kennedy's old seat, Angus MacDonald hasn’t stopped campaigning to protect access to local healthcare and boost the highland economy. People now have the chance to get more of that in Andrew Baxter - he's a fantastic local councillor that they can trust to fight their corner.
“Whether the SNP candidate is Kate Forbes, Ian Blackford or another nationalist, they are all tarred by their government's neglect of the Highlands. Next May, everyone in the Highlands can change that by voting for a Liberal Democrat local champion.”