BY JACKIE MACKENZIE
The political landscape in the Highlands and Islands has seen a major shift after Thursday’s Holyrood elections with three long-standing SNP MSPs ousted by the Lib Dems and Labour.
The SNP lost Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch –Kate Forbes’s former seat – to Andrew Baxter of the Lib Dems who beat Eilidh Munro by 950 votes.
The Lib Dems also took Caithness, Sutherland and Ross from the SNP with Charles Kennedy’s former close advisor David Green gaining a majority of 5,092 over sitting MSP Maree Todd.
And in a tight contest in the Western Isles, Labour’s Donald MacKinnon won the Na h-Eileanan an Iar seat from Alasdair Allan, the SNP incumbent of 19 years.
Skye’s new MSP Andrew Baxter, a Lib Dem member for Fort William and Ardnamurchan on Highland Council, flipped retiring MSP Kate Forbes’s majority of 15,861, to win by 950 votes.
Ms Forbes, who was Deputy First Minister, had held the seat for a decade.
Mr Baxter said he always had faith the Lib Dems could take the seat despite many political pundits saying such a huge SNP majority could not be overturned.
“I’m delighted that we got that win,” said Mr Baxter, who previously stood as a Tory candidate for Easter Ross in Highland Council elections in 2022.
After her defeat, Eilidh Munro said: “It has been an extraordinary privilege to stand as a candidate for this incredible constituency. It was very tight, and I’m gutted that the result didn’t go the way we had hoped, but wishing Andrew Baxter the very best in his new role.”
In Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, David Green, who lives in Muir of Ord, ended the SNP’s 15-year dominance of the seat. He polled 14,666 votes beating Maree Todd into second place on 9,574.
Mr Green said the result was “deeply humbling” and added: “Charles Kennedy and the late Jim Wallace are very much at the forefront of my mind. They would be proud to see the flame of liberalism burning bright in the Highlands. I dedicate this result to them and commit myself to their approach to politics. Now, the hard work begins.”
While losing the constituency seat, Maree Todd will be returning to the Scottish Parliament as a regional MSP for the Highlands and Islands.
She said: “With fewer Gaelic voices now in this parliament, I want to offer reassurance that I will build on the strong work of Kate Forbes and Alasdair Allan. Although I m not fluent, Gaelic is my mother tongue, and I will always advocate for its place and representation.”
Community development worker Donald MacKinnon triumphed in Na h-Eileanan an Iar by 154 votes, following a campaign played out against major ferry disruptions with an unprecedented number of vessels out of service.
Mr MacKinnon said: “It is the privilege of my life to be elected to serve the islands that I love.
“I know that some of you will be disappointed by the election result but, whether you voted for me or not, I promise to represent all of Na h-Eileanan an Iar. Every island, every community, every person.”
Alasdair Allan said after his defeat: “It was a huge privilege to represent the Western Isles in parliament for 19 years. Congratualtions to the new MSP.
“Meanwhile the SNP will – by a huge margin – be Scotland’s largest party and Scotland looks set to elect a pro- independence parliament. Tapadh leibh uile.”
