The leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats believes his party can win back all of their former seats in the Highlands and Islands in next month’s General Election.
Willie Rennie also responded to an upsurge in Conservative votes in the region at last week’s Highland Council elections, by calling on all Tory voters to back his party on the basis they are the only group who can stop the SNP.
Mr Rennie said there is a “desire for change” among people in the Highlands and that the “race is on to save the Highlands from the SNP”.
He is also confident that Alistair Carmichael, MP for Shetland and Orkney and the only Lib Dem MP in the country, will hold on to his seat despite his narrow 800 vote majority.
Yesterday, during a visit to a restaurant and cocktail bar in Tain, Mr Rennie said: “I can see that there is a desire for change. We have got the resources, we have got the people, we have got brilliant candidates, so I am confident that we can win.
“It’s going to be a challenge to win it because we need everybody behind us in order to do it, but we are absolutely determined to win.
“We have got a clear message to people who voted Conservative (at the council elections), that if you want to stop SNP, and I am sure that is one of their priorities, you need to consider voting for us. They don’t have to agree with us on everything. All they need to agree is that they want to stop the SNP and their damaging campaign for another divisive IndyRef.
“My plea to them (Conservative voters) is to recognise the results in the last few elections, in fact stretching back decades, where the Lib Dems are the predominant challenger – and we have got a strong track record in this region.
“We are not asking them to give up on their principles. If they believe in Conservative values, then continue to believe that, but if you want to stop the SNP then you need to come with us.”