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3 general election battles to watch across Highlands, islands and Moray

Seats across the north have been redrawn with some significant changes to boundaries.

Torcuil Crichton, Labour candidate in the Western Isles, Kathleen Robertson, Conservative candidate in Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey and Angus MacDonald, Liberal Democrat candidate in Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire. Image: DC Thomson.
Torcuil Crichton, Labour candidate in the Western Isles, Kathleen Robertson, Conservative candidate in Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey and Angus MacDonald, Liberal Democrat candidate in Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire. Image: DC Thomson.

The Press and Journal has identified three key battleground seats to watch out for on election night in Highlands, Islands and Moray.

Some of the seats are more unpredictable with boundary changes, and a few surprises could be in store for the region.

Can Lib Dems make gains? Will the SNP stay dominant? And can Labour return to the Western Isles?

Find out more with our pick of three key contests below:


1.Western Isles

This is one of the few seats outside of the central belt where Labour expects to make gains and is therefore one to watch.

Angus MacNeil, who held the constituency for 19 years, has a fight on his hands.

He was expelled from the SNP last year after refusing to re-join its Westminster group following a row with colleague Brendan O’Hara which saw him suspended.

Labour candidate for the Western Isles, Torcuil Crichton. Image: Supplied.

Now, he’s standing as an independent. The SNP is also standing a candidate, Susan Thomson, so the pro-independence vote could split.

But Labour’s candidate, former Westminster journalist Torcuil Crichton, also senses independence voters are ready to back his party because they feel separation is not an immediate priority.

He’s previously said the independence vote is waning because there is “no logical case” for it, with concerns instead mounting over issues such as the ferries crisis.

2.Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire

The Liberal Democrats are making a big play for this newly redrawn constituency where they have selected local businessman Angus MacDonald as their candidate.

Former SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford stood down as MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber last month and he isn’t standing again.

This represents an opportunity for the Liberal Democrats who want to reclaim an area that was once a stronghold for them under the late Charles Kennedy.

Lochaber councillor Angus MacDonald in Fort William. Image: Sandy McCook/DC Thomson.

But they have a fight on their hands, with Mr Blackford winning the former constituency with a majority of over 9,000.

Drew Hendry is standing for the SNP and he’s had previous electoral success, representing Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey since 2015.

He’s likely to be more well known in Inverness, with Mr MacDonald, who is also a Lochaber councillor, having more recognition in the north-west Highlands.

Mr MacDonald has accused the former SNP-Green government as having failed the Highlands and he has made this central to his campaign.

3. Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey

Another interesting race which could end up close is in the newly redrawn constituency of Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey.

Like the neighbouring north-east seats, this is seen as a two-horse race between the SNP and the Tories.

This constituency retains most of the current Moray seat, where results were extremely close under the old boundaries.

Kathleen Robertson in coat in Grant Park in Forres.
Kathleen Robertson, Conservative candidate in the seat.

Former Moray MP Douglas Ross, now standing in neighbouring Aberdeenshire North and Moray East, won the seat in a surprise victory in 2017.

Now, the SNP is keen to take the Moray seat, with the area a previous stronghold for the party under former MP Angus Robertson.

A YouGov poll released on June 19 predicted SNP candidate and councillor Graham Leadbitter would win the seat.

Moray Council leader Kathleen Robertson looks like she has a tricky contest ahead.


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