Lib Dem election candidate announced
15 March 2015
Ruaraidh Ferguson from Tong, Lewis, has been selected as the Western Isles Liberal Democrat candidate for the forthcoming Westminster Election in May.
Mr Ferguson, originally from the Scottish Borders, moved to the island in 1989. He stood as the Lib Dem candidate in the 2007 Holyrood election.
He feels that one of the key issues in this election will be the way that the UK's constitution needs to be reformed and made fit for purpose.
He said: “Much of the party manifestos on offer for this election will be largely irrelevant to the constituents of the Western Isles and Scotland, as the elected MP will have no direct vote in Westminster on the health, transport and education issues effecting the Western Isles and Scotland.
“These along with many other matters are quite rightly the devolved responsibility of the Scottish Government in Edinburgh, yet surprisingly seem to have formed most of the current island's debate on the forthcoming election.”
Mr Ferguson says that given previous election results in the Western Isles its not surprising that Lib Dem ambitions for the constituency will be different to others however that doesn't mean that his role or any other candidates role in the election should be diminished.
He said the September referendum revitalised Scottish politics and he “sincerely hopes that this continues in this election, and that as many communities as possible organise hustings to discuss the Westminster, not Holyrood, election issues.”