General election candidates in the Highlands have expressed concern that secondary school pupils could miss out on attending a general election hustings tonight.
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander has provisionally booked a 49-seat bus to take youngsters from Inverness Royal Academy to the event in Nairn.
The Liberal Democrat decided to act after Highland Council said it was unable to take pupils to the Newton Hotel because it would break their own guidelines.
The event has been organised by small business group FSB Scotland which is non-political.
Mr Alexander, who is hoping his rivals will help cover the £225 hire costs, believed “unnecessary barriers” should not be thrown up against young people who want to get involved in democratic debate.
SNP candidate Drew Hendry, Conservative Edward Mountain, Isla O’Reilly, Scottish Greens and Labour’s Mike Robb have taken to social media to express concern that the pupils may not be able to attend the event.
A Highland Council spokeswoman said: “Guidance issued by the returning officer clearly states that in the lead up to the UK parliamentary election that employees and members ‘do not use or allow the use of council resources for party political or election campaign issues’.
“This includes the use of council resources such as staff organising school trips, using school transport to attend hustings.
“Pupils can attend hustings in their own time and at their own expense.”
The spokeswoman said all schools had been advised that they should not organise trips to hustings but the council supported them in encouraging pupils to engage with the political process.
But Mr Alexander, whose office manager has spoken to staff at the school, said there was still confusion about whether pupils were allowed to attend the event, which starts at 6.30pm.
He said: “It is hugely frustrating that we have not been able to resolve this so pupils can come along to the hustings and hear from all the candidates.
“I think all candidates share my frustration.
“We should be doing everything we can to get young people involved in politics.
“Despite having a bus on stand-by ready to get pupils and teachers to Nairn, it seems we have simply run out of time.”
The five candidates, Les Durance, (UKIP) and Donald Boyd (Scottish Christian Party) are scheduled to take part in the hustings.