Candidates and Constituency Assessments

'John Farquhar Munro, MSP for Ross, Skye and Inverness, was the only Lib Dem to stick to his guns in line with last week's (fishing) vote, while Jamie Stone, Mike Rumbles and Donald Gorrie switched their support to the executive.' Robbie Dinwoodie in the Herald, 16 th March 2001.

Ross, Skye & Inverness West (Highlands & Islands Region)

Candidates

	Iain Brodie of Falsyde FSA.Scot. (Also number 1 on Highlands & Islands list)
	Scottish Enterprise Party
	Iain lives in Boat of Garten in Strath Spey and has a small business there called Auchgourish Gardens & Arboretum with an associated plant Nursery open to the public during the summer tourist season. Iain formerly worked as a Forestry Consultant and Land Manager and on retiring opened an Arboretum at Auchgourish Gardens in 2001. Apart from being a life long Nationalist his other interests include Scottish history and is historian and keeper of the Brodie Clan's genealogy. ain's intention is to try to get around as many parts of the Highlands & Islands which he already knows and those which he doesn't in the runup to the election in May this year and happy to speak to individuals and group meetings when asked. Recent electoral experience
	John Hodgson (Also number 8 on Highlands & Islands list)
	Conservative & Unionist
	The Tory candidate is John Hodgson who manages his own farm on the Isle of Skye, and is also a financial adviser. He has been involved in politics since his youth and is currently Chairman of the Skye Association. He stood against Charles Kennedy in Ross, Skye & Lochaber at the 2005 Westminster election. Commenting on his selection John said 'I am very pleased to have been selected and will continue to visit as much of this constituency as possible during the next few months, meeting as many people as possible. The Liberal Democrats would appear to be well-entrenched in this largely rural Constituency, but Lib-Dem voters need to ask themselves what their Party has given them in return for their support, and whether the Parliament's and the Executive's coalition has led to anything other than support for weak, unimaginative and debilitating Labour policies. The fishing industry continues to decline despite the 'Lib-Dems' many promises and our rural economy is under threat as never before. But nothing has been achieved. It is my firm intention to promote positive policies on behalf of all people and all enterprises in this Constituency, and I shall be proclaiming these solutions when I meet with individuals, groups and organizations, as I put Ross, Skye & Inverness West first in my priorities.' Recent electoral experience. 2005 Westminster election, Ross, Skye & Lochaber, 3,275 votes (10.07 %)
	Maureen Macmillan MSP (Not standing on Highlands & Islands list)
	Labour
	Maureen Macmillan initially announced that she would be retiring but then accepted to contest the Ross, Skye & Inverness seat as Labour had been unable to find a candidate. She was born on the 9 th February 1943 and obtained a MA (Hons) in English and a PG in Teaching. She worked from 1976 until 1983 as a supply and part-time teacher in the Highland Council area and from 1983 until her election in 1999 as an English teacher and then Senior Teacher at Millburn Academy in Inverness. She is married with grandchildren and is a member of the EIS. In the parliament she is Convener of the Cross-Party Groups on Oil & Gas and on Rural Policy and Deputy Convener of the Cross-Party Group on Crofting. Her hobbies include gardening. Ministerial positions None Recent electoral experience 2003 Scottish Parliament election, Ross, Skye & Inverness West, 5,464 votes (18.86 %) 2003 Scottish Parliament election, Second on Labour's Highlands & Islands list, 37,605 votes (22.30 %) (elected) 1999 Scottish Parliament election, Second on Labour's Highlands & Islands list, 51,371 votes (25.47 %) (elected)
	John Farquhar Munro MSP (Not standing on Highlands & Islands list)
	Liberal Democrat
	John Farquhar Munro was born on the 26 th August 1934 in Glen Shiel and educated at Plockton High School and the Merchant Marine College in Sharpness, Gloucestershire. He was a Merchant marine from 1951 to 1961 then a Plant fitter for Fitter-Kings, Road Construction from 1961 to 1965. In 1965 he became Manager for a Contracting Company until 1975 when he became a Self Employed, Bus operator, Heavy haulage, and Civil Engineering and Quarrying Contractor, continuing until 1993. From 1971 until 1997 he was also a Crofter. Before his election to the Scottish parliament he was a councillor for 33 years, serving on Inverness-shire County Council from 1966 to 1975, Skye & Lochalsh District Council from 1974 1995, Highland Regional Council from 1978 to 1982 and 1994 to 1996 and Highland Council from 1995 until 1999. In the parliament he is Convener of the Buidheann Thar-Phartaidh na Gàidhlig, Convener of the Cross-Party Group on Crofting and Deputy Convener of the Cross-Party Group on M.E.. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Sal Mor Ostaig, Isle of Skye, a board member of T.O.S.G (Gaelic arts group) and a board member of the Gaelic Language Promotion Trust. With Donald Gorrie and Dr Keith Raffan, he voted against the coalition with Labour in 1999 and rebelled against the Executive on several votes, contributing to Executive defeats on fishing policy in 2001 and fire stations in 2003. Party positions 2000 - Spokesperson on Gaelic Language Council positions 1995 - 1999 Lib Dem leader on Highland Council Ministerial positions None Recent electoral experience 2003 Scottish Parliament election, Ross, Skye & Inverness West, 12,495 votes (43.13 %) 1999 Scottish Parliament election, Ross, Skye & Inverness West, 11,652 votes (32.90 %) 1995 Highland Council election, Lochalsh, elected unopposed 1994 Highland Regional Council election, Sleat & South West Ross, 952 votes (57.18 %) (elected) 1992 Skye & Lochalsh District Council election, Glenshiel & Glenelg, elected unopposed 1978 - 1982, Highland Regional Councillor 1974 - 1996, Member of Skye & Lochalsh District Council 1966 - 1975, Member of Inverness-shire County Council
	David Thompson (Also number 4 on Highlands & Islands list)
	Scottish National Party
	David joined the SNP in 1966 as a founder member of his native Lossiemouth Branch. From 1973 to 1983, in the Lewis Branch, he worked closely with Donald Stewart MP and held a number of posts within the SNP. He then held a number of politically restricted Council posts retiring as Highland Council Director of Protective Services in December 2001. He was Chairman of the Scottish Society of Directors of Trading Standards, Chairman of the Highlands and Islands Branch of the Chartered Management Institute, Chairman of GMB/MPO Highland and an Advisor to COSLA. He is a member of Scottish CND and completed the first year of a Degree in Gaelic in 2004. He is a member of Kinmylies Baptist Church and a long time supporter of Caley Thistle. He stood in Ross, Skye & Inverness West in 2003, pushing Labour into 3rd place. Recent electoral experience 2005 Westminster election, Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey, 5,992 votes (13.54 %) 2003 Scottish parliament election, Ross, Skye & Inverness West, 5,647 votes (19.49 %) 2003 Scottish parliament election, Sixth on SNP Highlands & Islands list, 39,497 votes (23.43 %%)

Constituency profile

Assessment:

This assessment is based on the 2003 election results

Rank on Scottish National Party hit list: 36 (12 in 2003)
Swing required for Scottish National Party gain: 11.82 % from Liberal Democrat to Scottish National Party

Rank on Labour hit list: 15 (2 in 2003)
Swing required for Labour gain: 12.14 % from Liberal Democrat to Labour

Rank on Conservative hit list: 41 (23 in 2003)
Swing required for Conservative gain: 15.06 % from Liberal Democrat to Conservative

Correlation to the new Westminster constituencies

The electorate of 56,299 was split between the new Westminster constituencies of:
Ross, Skye & Lochaber: 34,567 (61.4 %)
Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey: 15,930 (28.3 %)
Cathness, Sutherland & Easter Ross: 5,802 (10.3 %)

Local Government wards in the constituency

Previous results

1 st May 2003 Holyrood Election - Constituency result

Electorate 55,777. Turnout 28,971, 51.94 % (- 11.48 %)
Logo	Party	Candidate	Votes	%	% change
	Liberal Democrat	John Farquhar Munro MSP	12,495	43.13 %	+ 10.23 %
	Scottish National Party	David Thompson	5,647	19.49 %	- 3.09 %
	Labour	Maureen MacMillan MSP	5,464	18.86 %	- 9.70 %
	Conservative & Uninist	Jamie Grigor MSP	3,772	13.02 %	+ 3.06 %
	Scottish Socialist Party	Anne Macleod	1,593	5.50 %	(+ 5.50 %)
	Liberal Democrat hold	Liberal Democrat majority	6,848	23.64 %	+ 19.29 %

1 st May 2003 Holyrood Election - Regional list result

Electorate 55,777. Turnout 29,242, 52.43 % 216 rejected ballot papers
Logo	Party	Votes	%	% change
	Liberal Democrats	7,593	26.16 %	- 0.09 %
	Scottish National Party	5,728	19.73 %	- 6.96 %
	Labour	5,581	19.23 %	- 4.37%
	Conservative & Unionist Party	3,622	12.48 %	+ 0.87 %
	Scottish Green Party	3,182	10.96 %	+ 6.76 %
	Scottish Socialist Party	1,439	4.96 %	+ 4.11 %
	UK Independence Party	428	1.47 %	(+ 1.47 %)
	Socialist Labour Party	408	1.41 %	+ 0.26 %
	Robbie the Pict	438	1.51 %	+ 0.48 %
	The Countryside Party	420	1.45 %	(+ 1.45 %)
	Protect Rural Scotland	189	0.65 %	(+ 0.65 %)
	Scottish Peoples Alliance	114	0.39 %	(+ 0.39 %)
	Arthur Robertson	29	0.10 %	- 0.04 %
	The Rural Party	25	0.09 %	(+ 0.09 %¡
	Liberal Democrat majority	1,865	6.43 %

6 th May 1999 Holyrood Election - Constituency result

Logo	Party	Candidate	Votes	%	% change
	Liberal Democrat	John Farquhar-Munro	11,652	32.90 %	- 5.82 %
	Labour	Donnie Munro	10,113	28.56 %	- 0.10 %
	Scottish National Party	Jim Mather	7,997	22.58 %	+ 3.01 %
	Conservative & Unionist	John Scott	3,351	9.46 %	- 1.47 %
	Independent	William Douglas Briggs	2,302	6.50 %	+ 6.50 %
	Liberal Democrat win	Liberal Democrat majority	1,539	4.34 %	- 5.72 %

6 th May 1999 Holyrood Election - Regional list result

Logo	Party	Votes	%
	Scottish National Party	9,466	26.69 %
	Liberal Democrats	9,311	26.25 %
	Labour	8,369	23.60 %
	Conservative & Unionist Party	4,118	11.61 %
	Scottish Green Party	1,491	4.20 %
	Highlands & Islands Alliance	731	2.06 %
	Sir Iain Noble	680	1.92 %
	Socialist Labour Party	408	1.15 %
	Scottish People's Mission	364	1.03 %
	Scottish Socialist Party	300	0.85 %
	Natural Law Party	100	0.28 %
	International Independent	77	0.22 %
	Arthur Robertson	49	0.14 %
	Scottish National Party majority	155	0.44 %

1 st May 1997 Westminster Election

Logo	Party	Candidate	Votes	%
	Liberal Democrat	Charles Kennedy MP	15,472	38.72 %
	Labour	Donnie Munro	11,453	28.66 %
	Scottish National Party	Cllr Margaret Paterson	7,821	19.57 %
	Conservative & Unionist	Mary MacLeod	4,368	10.93 %
	Referendum	Les Durance	535	1.34 %
	Green	Alan Hopkins	306	0.77 %
	Liberal Democrat hold	Liberal Democrat majority	4,019	10.06 %

Links

• John Hogson (Tory candidate)