The new electric car charge will hit rural areas like the Highlands harder than anywhere else due to the lack of public transport options and the large distances that journeys can involve. This must not be another city-centric policy that hits those in rural areas with the bill.

I was out campaigning in the Borders when I heard of our fantastic victory in Fort William and Ardnamurchan this morning. Congratulations to our newest councillor, Matthew Prosser! Right across Scotland, from the Borders to the Highlands Liberal Democrats are winning again.

Scottish Liberal Democrats are winning the fight against the SNP in the Highlands. The SNP's relationship with rural Scotland is broken. The Highlands deserve better. By backing the Scottish Liberal Democrats, you can get change with fairness at its heart.

Campaigners called for an independent review of maternity services in Caithness and the Scottish Parliament voted for it. But, it seems, that is not happening (1/5).

Rural fire stations across the Highlands have been effectively out of action for years, with The Press and Journal reporting crews unable to respond to emergencies for thousands of hours (1/5).

A win for the women who have shared their experiences of travelling to Inverness to give birth. Also a testament to the hard work of Caithness Health Action Team. We now need a clear timetable and assurances that the community - particularly those who use the services - are fully involved.

The Scottish Government supporting our amendment calling for an independent review of maternity services in Caithness is very welcome news. But tonight cannot be the last parliament hears about this, we must hold the Scottish Government's feet to the fire now.

I’ve been working for a long time to try and fix the SNP’s home energy efficiency scheme but they just won’t listen. It’s six times more expensive than England. I have a plan to fix it. #EnergyEfficiency #SNP #Scotland

The consequences of the impending administration of Eastern Airways cannot be allowed to spell disaster for passengers who use the Wick to Aberdeen service. We need Eastern Airways to act now with transparency (1/4).

Credit to @jackiebaileypace.bsky.social for meeting CHAT and local mums on a visit to the midwifery unit in Wick. Spot on to say 100 mile plus journeys on the A9 to give birth is unacceptable. People deserve change, starting with an independent review of maternity services in Caithness.

Too many struggle with their mental health, often due to isolation and loneliness, on a scale that our NHS staff are too overstretched to meet. No matter where you live, you should have the same right to access the mental health services you need.

Milton of Leys, Inverness 🔶 Brilliant response on the doors today! Folk are fed up of feeling forgotten by our Holyrood and Westminster governments Big thank you to @alex.scotlibdems.org.uk for joining us up the road, and @davidgreen4csr.bsky.social for coming across the water to lend a hand!

Myself and @davidgreen4csr.bsky.social have written to the FCA to ask them to broaden their ‘Access to Cash’ policy to include an ‘Access to Banks’ provision, in order to prevent high street branch closures. In-person banking services are essential to our Highland communities.

The Scottish Government has rejected repeated calls for real time 100 per cent monitoring of sewage discharges, insisting that modelling by Scottish Water is sufficient (1/5).

34 million people use the NHS app in England, but in Scotland we still don't have one. Why, in 2025, are patients in Scotland still unable to benefit from an App that provides the same joined-up care that families in England have been able to rely on since before the pandemic?

The proposed closure of Bank of Scotland branches in Gairloch and Tain fails to recognise the unique needs of our rural communities. Access to cash and in-person banking remains vital for many, particularly for small businesses and those less confident with digital bankinb (1/2).

Congrats, Connie! A Lib Dem GAIN from the SNP in Tain and Easter Ross! More and more people are turning to the Lib Dems in the Highlands because we will fight for change with fairness at its heart (1/3).

I am saddened that we have lost Ming. He was a formidable and decent public servant who was widely respected. He was an internationalist to his core, values that those of us in the liberal movement must now hold close. I feel very privileged to have had the opportunity to work with him. RIP.

Today is polling day in Tain and Easter Ross! Connie Ramsay will work to save TRACC as a vital leisure service in Tain, push for better local health services, and fight to get our roads fixed. To elect a strong local champion for Tain and Easter Ross - vote Connie Ramsay #1 !

🚨You can watch our latest party political broadcast tonight: 🔸STV 18:25 🔸BBC One Scotland 18:55

Busy weekend delivering leaflets in Thurso - fuelled by coffee from The Haven - and knocking doors in Castletown, Dunnet and Mey. Lot's of concerns about access to healthcare, the state of the roads but also several questions of the Scottish Government'a block on new nuclear.

Cracking campaign work from the kids and Phoebe Strachan at North Shore Surf Club - banding together to put “Hobbies before Jobbies” amid rising anger over the discharge of sewage into Highland waters.

Proposals to reduce the national speed limit on single carriageway roads to 50mph would harm connectivity, further disadvantage rural communities, and fail to deliver intended improvements to road safety - that's according to Highland business leaders (1/5).

Cracking day at the Black Isle Show today! Fantastic to meet so many people from the farming community and local area with @davidgreen4csr.bsky.social A great day all round!

The Scot Govt's handling of Scotland's ferries has been a disaster. The @scotlibdems.org.uk are launching a consultation on the future of services. Services need to be informed by the people who use our ferries - a plan built from the bottom up, not top down 👇

More than 1500 people were admitted to Highland emergency departments due to confirmed incidents of self-harm in the last five years. That amounts to almost six people a week (1/4).

The Met Office has upgraded its weather warning - an Amber Weather Warning - in the north of Scotland today. Take extra care – it is advisable to stay inside as much as possible within the amber warning area. SSEN have shared the advice below 👇 www.ssen.co.uk/news-views/2...

Almost 60,000 people have waited more than four hours in A&E since the last time the Scottish Government's target was hit over four years ago. Doctors and nurses are working extremely hard to provide the best possible care, but they are not getting the support they need (1/3).

Ahead of key elections next year across the UK, Josh has the energy we need to reach new voters. That is why I am delighted to back @joshbabarinde.bsky.social for Party President. You can sign up to back his campaign here: josh4president.co.uk

ScotRail services between Inverness and Kyle had been suspended. Replacement bus services have been arranged and train tickets are being accepted on Stagecoach North bus services between Inverness and Dingwall and CityLink buses between Inverness and Kyle. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

The Highlands has some of the highest energy bills in the country. Too many people are too often deciding between heating and eating. It is a national embarrassment (1/3).

There have been 946 cases of fly-tipping across Highland Council since 2020, but none were referred to the Procurator Fiscal. Our investigation has also found there was 3,464 abandoned vehicles reported in the same period (1/4).

A cracking couple days in Wick for the Caithness County Show, credit to all the volunteers. Enjoyed speaking with the folks at the Wick Development Trust; they have already done so much for the town, but watch this space as they have big ambitions for the future too.

NHS Highland spent £2.1m on locum psychiatrists in 2024 - up from £1.9m the year before. A consequence of the national workforce crisis, NHS Highland has said. The SNP Scottish Government's failures on workforce planning is having a direct impact of on patients.

Royal Mail disruption across Shieldaig, Applecross, Torridon and Lochcarron has seen people missing NHS letters, unreceived medications, and delays to business supplies. Angus MacDonald MP has raised the issue with Royal Mail who are targeting a full service by August (1/3).

It feels like we have been led down the garden path on cheaper energy bills. Unfair? Unfair is the Highlands paying more for their electricity than others despite being an energy producer (1/4).

We face a pothole postcode lottery in the Highlands, but the odds are always stacked against us (1/5).

Ducking between showers, I was out speaking to folk in Helmsdale yesterday. It will be no surprise that access to dentists and improving public transport were two of the key concerns raised.

If the Scottish Governmet is serious about achieving net-zero targets in a way that commands public support, Ministers must scrap their opposition to nuclear energy as part of the UK's decarbonised electricity mix (1/4).

Congrats to Richard Cross on his election as a councillor for Cromarty Firth. Richard fought hard in the campaign and will no doubt bring that to Highland Council. Thanks to @scotlibdems candidate, Ross Costigane. One of many young talents in the party with a bright future.

Polling day for the Cromarty-Firth by-election! Best of luck to @scotlibdems candidate, Ross Costigane. Ross is hard working and you can see his passion for serving our local communities. We need people like Ross to hold SNP-led administration to account.

This stinks... (1/8)

As ever, the devil is in the detail. The litmus test, particularly given the cost of living crisis, is will people feel better off? Given news the economy has shrunk, it is hard to fathom why the Govt won't boost growth with closer trade deal with the EU. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

These figures confirm once again that the vast majority of mums-to-be in Caithness have to travel 100-mile journeys to give birth in Inverness. CHAT is doing a power of work in calling for a maternity model that works - they have my support: www.johnogroat-journal.co.uk/news/renewed...

Congrats to all the volunteers at Highland Pride! Many across the LGBTQ+ community feel targeted and their rights threatened by the divisive culture wars. While today was a lot of fun, it was also a show of strength. We must never stop fighting for everyone's fundamental rights to be who they are!

Ducking between showers, it has been a cracking few days campaigning for our @scotlibdems.org.uk by-election candidate Ross Costigane. You can see his passion for serving our local communities and I know he will give 110% for people across Cromarty Firth.

The time spent by ambulance crews waiting to admit patients to Highland hospitals has soared by 16 per cent reaching 14,544 hours last year – equivalent to 606 days. The ScotGovt needs to support hospital staff who are struggling to find the space to receive new patients.

With little over a month to the RTS switch-off, energy companies have not done enough. @scotlibdems are urging the UK Govt to require suppliers to compensate households that requested a replacement meter before the RTS shutdown but failed to receive one: www.highlandlibdems.org.uk/news/article...

It will be no surprise that the state of our roads is one the top issues that folk raise with me. For the elderly woman I met in Balintore, it means isolation over winter because she fears the damage that potholes will do to her car if she drives at night.

Banning care workers from overseas will have devastating consequences for our loved ones who desperately need care, for our care homes who are struggling to recruit the staff they need, and on our already overstretched hospitals.