 | 'I think this will be a very exciting election, probably the most exciting election there's been since 1987 when Margaret took it from the Tories for the SNP, so I think the Tories will be pulling out all the big gunners, they'll be determined to win this seat back.' Pauline Taylor, editor of the Northern Scot, 10 th April 2006. |  |
Nominations have closed for the Moray by-election . The battle for the seat in the Scottish Parliament has been caused by the sad death of the Nationalist MSP Margaret Ewing. It is likely to be a hard fought contest.
Moray is the heart of Scotland's, indeed the world's, malt whisky production. In fact there are more whisky distilleries here than anywhere else. Whoever wins the by-election on April 27 will be celebrating not with champagne, but with a wee dram.
Under the popular Margaret Ewing, this was a safe SNP seat. She had a majority of 5,300 - 20% ahead of the Tories. But it is not unloseable in a by-election.
Pauline Taylor, editor of the Northern Scot said: "I think this will be a very exciting election, probably the most exciting election there's been since 1987 when Margaret took it from the Tories for the SNP, so I think the Tories will be pulling out all the big gunners, they'll be determined to win this seat back."
Before Margaret Ewing won this seat, her mother-in-law, Winnie Ewing, had won it from the Tories in 1974. But the Tories ruined the party by winning the seat back in 1979, and they now feel that the reign of the SNP in Moray, which has lasted nearly 20 years, is coming to an end once again.
Conservative candidate Mary Scanlon said: "I think the time is right, I think we can win, I'm very positive about winning, very excited about standing in this by-election.
With an eye on next year's Holyrood elections, the SNP have to do well here.
SNP candidate Richard Lochhead said: "It's not a by-election we wanted, but we recognise the task before us. We think we've got an excellent track record in the constituency."
Outside Elgin, the claim from the SNP and the Tories that this is a two horse race certainly seems to hold true. However,in Elgin, with its population of around 20,000, Labour has a much stronger showing.
Labour candidate Sandy Keith said:" We have got a strong position in Elgin, but that's not to downplay the strengths that we've got in other towns and villages in this constituency."
Labour's first prime minister came from the Moray constituency in Lossiemouth, and the last time a Liberal represented this seat was back in 1923. But after Dunfermline and West Fife, the Liberal Democrats feel they can win anything. Candidate Linda Gorn said: "There was an 11,000 majority in Dunfermline, and it's less than that in Moray. We've just come from fourth in Glasgow, so there's absolutely no reason whatsoever why we can't win in Moray."
Moray is a constituency of tourism, farming, fishing, forestry and two RAF bases. It is a constituency of many diverse communities with different problems, and it is a constituency where the SNP and Tories have a history of electoral combat. This by-election could be a fascinating addition to that story.
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