29 April 03
Centralisation Of NHS Hitting The Far North Say SNP
Drugs and alcohol counsellors should be based around Highlands - SNP says
stop the NHS centralisation on Inverness. News that three new drugs
and alcohol counsellor posts will be based on Inverness comes as no
surprise. "Centralisation under the NHS robs the Far North, West
and south Highlands of posts. The SNP will bring democratic
accountability to the NHS" said SNP Far North candidate Rob Gibson our election
message is to build up public service jobs in Tain, Brora and Wick.
The NHS announcement is another slap in the face for the North. Inverness
could well share counsellors with other areas. Basing these posts
elsewhere seems alien to the NHS administrators. This must be changed by
political instruction of the incoming government.'
29 April 03
3 Votes On
Thursday - Who Will Get Yours?
One Vote for Your MSP - Then One vote for the Regional MSP -
list candidates and finally one vote for the local council.
Speculation is rife to see whether voters will vote for one party with
their first vote and another party with their second vote to bring in the
candidates on the party lists or individuals standing mainly on single
issues. The Green Party won three seats in this way at the last
election For the council it is a straight first past the post
- whoever gets the most votes wins. i
29 April 03
SOCIALISTS ANTICIPATE HISTORIC HIGHLANDS WIN
The Scottish Socialist Party has been redoubling its efforts in the
last few days before polling on Thursday. A Highlands & Islands Regional
List seat is within the SSP's sights. Opinion Polls published in
THREE National Newspapers on Sunday and Monday all put the SSP on course
to win perhaps 6 or 7 List seats in the new parliament, and for Tommy
Sheridan to perhaps win outright in Pollock. Steve Arnott, the SSP's top
Highlands List candidate, is encouraged by the polls......................
27 April 03
Population Drain - Key Election Issue For SNP
Loss of people from North confirmed - repopulation is key election issue
says SNP. The breakdown in census figures confirms a key drop
in the people of NW Sutherland, Easter Ross and East Caithness. This
is a damning indictment of Tory, Labour and LibDem
government.............................
26 April 03
Deirdre
Steven And The Labour Team In Wick On Saturday
With election day for the Scottish Parliament and the Councils
approaching fast all the candidates are out n various parts handing out
leaflets and meeting people. Deirdre Steven had the Labour team in
Wick on Saturday afternoon seeing as many people as possible with less
than a week to go until the polls.
26 April 03
Thurso Hustings Monday 28 April 7.30 - 9.00pm
Thurso High School
A chance to hear all the Scottish Parliament candidates.
25 April 03
Women's Representation Still Low
Engender an
organisation actively seeking to increase awareness of Women's Issues and
representation by women has published a manifesto in partnership with
3 other women's organisations - the
Scottish Women's Budget Group, 50/50 Campaign for Gender Equality and the
STUC Women's Committee. The manifesto can be seen in full at
http://www.engender.org.uk/pdfs/Manifesto.pdf
The main web site is at
Engender Web Site
the site has very relevant information including data on the
Position of Women in Scotland. There are links to information on
many aspects of groups of women and to the
Scottish Parliament statistics on comparisons of numbers of men and
women across the Scottish regions.
Amongst the many details in the manifesto are -
22% of Scottish Councillors are women
37 % of MSP's are women bu this is expected to go down in the 2003
election
7% of elected chairs and 38% of Board members of Scotland's 183 Public
bodies are women. These statistics are worse if the members of
Children's Panels are taken out.
Lots
of Links On Women's Issues
25 April 03
Eve Of Poll Hustings Meeting
Wednesday 30 April - 7.00pm
Wick Old Parish Church Hall
Organised by The church Of Scotland Presbytery Of Caithness
24 April
Rob
Gibson SNP Candidate Attacks On The Big Issues
Rob Gibsn was in
Caithness today to see voters in various parts of the county. whilst in
Wick he looked in at the harbour. He is attacking the Lib/Lab partnership
on several fronts - "The Lib/Lab Scottish Executive must account for its
record -
17 April 03
Lib Dem Team In
Caithness
The Lib Dem team was out in force
in Wick taking advantage of the good weather to get round and see the
voters.
Jim Wallace , Graeme Smith, John Thurso and Jamie Stone................
8 April 03
ELECTIONS BRIEFING NOTE
It is estimated that 1,000 people
will be involved in staffing the 360 polling stations and the various
counts. Polling for both elections will take place between 7.00 am �
10.00 pm on Thursday 1 May. Within the polling station, the voter will be
given three ballot papers. An aquamarine ballot paper is to vote for the
candidate of your choice in your Scottish Parliament Highland constituency
(first past the post) election. A peach paper is to vote for either the
political party or the individual of your choice on the Highlands and
Islands Regional List, through the additional member system � a form of
proportional representation. Voters are asked to vote only once on the
peach paper. There will be seven Scottish MPs elected in the Highlands
and Islands area from the Regional List. A white paper is to vote for the
candidate of your choice in your local Highland Council election.
Latest Election Information
How the numbers breakdown between Independents and Party members.
How many are returned unopposed and other details about the
elections.........................
7 April 03
The Three Highland Constituencies
Scottish Parliament Candidates
7 April 03
STATEMENT OF INDIVIDUAL
CANDIDATES NOMINATED
AND REGISTERED POLITICAL PARTIES WHO HAVE SUBMITTED A PARTY LIST
7 April 03
60 CONTESTS AT THE HIGHLAND COUNCIL
ELECTION
The elections for The Highland Council being held on Thursday 1 May will
involve 170 candidates contesting 60 wards. Twenty (20) candidates have
been returned unopposed, 19 of whom are existing councillors. Fifty-one
(51) face a contest to retain their seat. Ten, including Convener
David Green, Lochbroom, who is now Chairman of the Crofters Commission,
have decided not to seek re-election. The others are: - Deirdre Steven,
Wick West; Sandy Mackenzie, Conon Bridge and Maryburgh; Peter Cairns,
Knockbain and Killearnan; Gavin Scott Moncrieff, Snizort and Trotternish;
Allan Beaton, Skye West; Angus Sutherland, Skye Central; Bernard Salmon,
Scorguie; John Cole, Culloden and David Fraser, Nairn Cawdor.
The 80-strong council will feature at least 10 new faces where no existing
Councillors are standing in their electoral wards. In Skye Central, one of
the new faces, Hamish Fraser, will be returned unopposed.
There is no period for withdrawal of nominations.
Results of the elections are due between 3 � 6 pm on Friday 2 May.
Last Highland Council Election In
1999
At the 1999 Council elections, there were 58 contests, involving 150
candidates. 22 candidates were returned unopposed. The make-up of the
Council is 51 Independents; 11 Labour; 10 Liberal Democrat and 8 Scottish
National Party.
7 April 03
Highland Council Nominations
Of the 10 electoral wards in Caithness 5 will be contested. The
contested wards are Thurso West, Thurso Central, Wick, Wick West and
Pulteneytown.
Candidates Unopposed
Alistair Macdonald - Caithness North West,
Tom Jackson - Thurso East,
David Flear - Caithness Central,
John Green - Caithness North East
William Mowat - Caithness South East.
Full Caithness List
Click Here For All Highland Council Areas Nominations
5 April 03
Good Turnout At Watten Hall
For
Scotttish Parliament Election
Candidates
With almost a month to go the Scottish Crofting
Foundation got the election off to a flying start with a surprisingly good
turnout at Watten Hall on Friday 4 April 2003. All
of the main players were there and the only change from the notified
candidates speaking was David Jardine (Green Party) who replaced Eleanor
Scott who had been at another meeting that day in the south.
5 April 03
Alan McLeod Web Site
Conservative Candidate Alan McLeod Has his own web
site with information http[://www.alanmcleod.co.uk
2 April 03
Gordon Campbell - Independent Back in The Running
Gordon Campbell who had dropped out after some bad personal
news has again re-entered the election trail. HJe has confirmed he
will be standing as candidate for the Scottish Parliament
Latest News
31 March 03
FAR NORTH MSP
WINS BREAKTHROUGH IN CAMPAIGN FOR HOME IMPROVEMENT GRANTS
On the final day of the Scottish Parliament's first term, Far North
MSP Jamie Stone's campaign for more money for home improvement grants has
taken a major step forward.
31 March 03
JAMIE STONE WELCOMES 'RED ROUTE' DECISION AS ANOTHER STEP FORWARD FOR
A9 UPGRADE
Far North MSP Jamie Stone has welcomed the news that work on upgrading the
Ord of Caithness section of the A9 is set to move ahead.
Following a recent public consultation, the Scottish Executive today
announced that the lower floor valley (red route) option has been selected
as the best option for the
improvement work between Navidale and Allt
Briste North.
31 March 03
Rhoda Grant Scottish Labour - Profile
31 March 03
Maureen Macmillan
Scottish Labour Profile
31 March 03
Peter Peacock Scottish
Labour - Profile
31 March 03
Rhoda Grant - Scottish
Labour Party
31 March 03
Rob Gibson Lodges Nomination Papers
26 March 03
Labour Candidate For Scottish Parliament
Visits Dounreay
Deirdre
Steven, the Labour Prospective Scottish Parliamentary Candidate visited
UKAEA Dounreay on Wednesday 19th March 2003. She is pictured here with
Kirsty Gray, a Chemical Engineering graduate during her tour of the plants
in the Waste Management Complex.
25 March 03
FAR NORTH MSP RAISES EU FUNDING ISSUE
AT MEETING OF BRITISH AND IRISH POLITICIANS
Parliamentarians from across the UK and Ireland were today urged to
work together to help attract more European funding to our remote and
rural areas including the Far North of Scotland. Jamie Stone
highlighted the problems of Wick, Helmsdale and Kinlochbervie.....................
23 March 03
MSP CALLS FOR WIDER TRANSFER OF SNH POSTS
Further to the announcement earlier today that the SNH is to relocate
to Inverness, Far North MSP Jamie Stone has called for the further
decentralisation of those civil service posts to Caithness and Easter
Ross.
23 March 03
Job Dispersal Must Not Stop At Inverness - SNP
Rob Gibson, SNP Scottish Parliamentary candidate for Caithness,
Sutherland and Easter Ross said:
21 March 03
Gordon Campbell Withdraws From Scottish
Parliament Election for personal reasons.
18 March 03
Profile of Deirdre Steven - Labour
Candidate
18 March 03
STONE WELCOMES NEWS OF WICK FACTORY TAKE-OVER
Far North MSP Jamie Stone has welcomed the news that part of the
former Grampian Records factory in Wick has been taken over by a new
company.
18 March 03
FAR NORTH MSP URGES MORE ACTION FOR REMOTE DENTAL
SERVICES
The Scottish Executive has announced it is to double the remote area
allowance for NHS dentists in rural areas from �1500 to �3000.
Far North MSP Jamie Stone has welcomed the news as a sign that
........................
17 March 03
TIMETABLE FOR SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT AND THE HIGHLAND COUNCIL - ELECTIONS ON
1 MAY
The elections for the Scottish Parliament and The Highland Council
elections, being held on Thursday 1 May 2003, will be called by the
Returning Officer, Arthur McCourt, Chief Executive of The Highland
Council, on Thursday 20 March 2003. This is the day from which nomination
papers are available for candidates.
17 March 03
Rob Gibson SNP Candidate Welcomes
Jobs At Forss
17 March 03
Frank Ward And Socialists Pledge
Civil Disobedience
17 March 03
CAMPAIGNS FOR BROADBAND IN CAITHNESS AND SUTHERLAND
Jamie Stone MSP is leading the campaign for broadband technology to be
rolled out in the Far North.
6 March 03
JAMIE STONE MSP CALLS FOR CIVIL SERVICE
JOBS IN FAR NORTH
Far North MSP Jamie Stone has pressed the Scottish Executive to devolve
more civil service jobs north of Inverness. Speaking in the Scottish
Parliament during the weekly question time session, Mr Stone urged Finance
Minister Andy Kerr to give greater consideration to the Far North when
decisions are being taken over the dispersal of public service bodies. He
highlighted Wick and Thurso as good locations for pensions and IT based
jobs.
4 March 03
NO MORE EXCUSES
Scotland�s Fleet Must Be Saved
Alan McLeod the conservative candidate for Caithness, Sutherland and East
Ross today said:- �It it is incumbent upon all of us who can,
including our local MSP and MP, to stand up for our indigenous fishing
industry..........................
4 March 03~
Jamie Stone MSP Gets Ambulance Debate
A powerful case for upgrading the Wick ambulance service from on-call to
full-time has been presented in the Scottish Parliament by Far North MSP
Jamie Stone....................................
4 March 03
Countryside Party
Wants Second Votes
The Countryside Party is one of the parties asking the electorate to use
their second vote in their favour. Branding the current
government as the "Laberals" they are making a plea to voters to examine
the record on a range of issues.
26 February 03
Scottish Socialist Party (SSP)
Fastest Growing Party In Scotland Claim
The Highland Branch of the SSP has attracted two dozen new
members in the last two weeks continuing a trend of the last four years
where it has risen from almost nothing to 75 branches across Scotland.
Steve Arnott the Highland Organiser has seen a further boost coming on the
back of the anti-war movement. The party led by Tommy Sheridan MSP
is contesting a majority of the seats in Scottish Parliament elections
