Andrew Baxter

A Highland Voice for Holyrood

As the Highlands is my home, where I am bringing up my family, it is a privilege to be selected as the Liberal Democrat candidate for the Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch constituency in the 2026 Holyrood elections. I am excited about the campaign ahead and the opportunity to stand up for the communities I care so deeply about.

Over the past 18 years, the SNP government has promised a great deal but delivered far too little, and more and more people are realising they’ve been let down. My campaign is focused on three key priorities that reflect the daily concerns of people across the Highlands.

First, infrastructure. We’ve been hearing about the dualling of the A9 for years—and still nothing. On the west coast where I live, the A82 remains in desperate need of upgrading, and across the region we face countless other infrastructure challenges that are simply being ignored.

Second, healthcare. Whether it’s the struggle to find an NHS dentist, long delays for hospital appointments, or the shocking scenes of sewage discharge at Raigmore Hospital, it's clear our healthcare system is under intense pressure and failing to meet the needs of local people.

And third, education. As a parent of two teenagers, I was once proud to hear that Scotland had one of the best education systems in the world. Sadly, that’s no longer true. We are letting down our young people and the dedicated teachers and staff who support them every day.

My experience as a councillor has shown me that too many decisions affecting the Highlands are being made in Holyrood, not here in our own communities. This centralisation of power has weakened local democracy and left places like Aviemore. Dingwall, Portree and Fort William overlooked. I believe strongly that more decisions should be made locally—by the people who live and work here.

This campaign is about restoring trust, investing in our region, and giving the Highlands the voice it deserves.