Local Press Review – Standing again

Interesting to see that Laurie, Liz, Graham and Sandy are all standing for election again in May. The Nairnshire has quotes from the three Nairn members of the ruling administration so if you haven’t read the local paper yet you can read the “self-assessment” quotes from the LibDem and two Indy councillors. The Leopold Street Thunderer has also has been speaking to new contestant Colin Macaulay who will be standing on the SNP ticket with Liz. The voting system gives you the choice of list preferences so obviously the Nationalists feel that they have a fair chance of getting two members elected in Nairn. It is worth remembering too that last time round Liz got almost twice as many first preferences as Sandy the second placed candidate in the first round (Liz 1576, Sandy 855, Laurie 669, Graham 535). This observer will predict that Liz will increase her total of first preferences, even with one other SNP candidate in the mix. Many voters will still have her “sacking” as Provost by the other three existing councillors strong in their memory when they go to the polls. Here’s a couple of Gurn articles here and here that detail those heady days back in the spring of 2010 when a wave of indignation swept through Nairn over what many considered as a very unfair move by Graham, Laurie and Sandy. The Facebook group that campaigned to reinstate Liz attracted over 500 members and is still there.

In an indication of where perhaps local debate will go during the elections it is perhaps worth picking two key parts out of what Colin had to tell the Nairnshire: “I am well aware of the concerns and opportunities across our Royal Burgh,” and “ “…we will fight Nairnshire’s corner as a part of a strong SNP voice on the new Council.” Royal Burgh and Nairnshire – key words in a potential debate about the County’s identity in the face of the centralising machine that is the Glenurquhart Road administration? It is not only in Nairn that people are upset with the Highland Council, even in Inverness there are the stirrings of revolt over the use of the Common Good fund. Could the SNP pick up on conceptions across the Highlands that the periphery is disadvantage compared to the Inverness? It remains to be seen what the SNP will put in their Highland manifesto for the elections in May but a commitment to more localism could bring them many more votes. If they shy away from that in Nairn however, could it be that other candidates might emerge yet with a more robust “Nairnshire First” agenda. There seems to be a willingness out there to consider such an approach if the results of one of the Gurn’s current (unscientific) polls are taken into account.

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