‘It was time for the county to move on,’ says newly elected MSP Rob Gibson
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Newly elected SNP MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross Rob Gibson.
‘THE best outcome for the people of the Far North.” That is the verdict of Caithness, Sutherland and Ross’s new MSP, Rob Gibson.
Mr Gibson, who won the Scottish Parliament seat with one of the biggest majorities in the country, said people had been telling him he was going to win by a landslide when he was speaking to them on the street and at their work.
“There was a feeling that it was definitely time to move on. The country is on a journey and people in the Far North want to be part of it,” said Mr Gibson in an interview after his victory.
He described the SNP performance across the country as “historic” and added: “Having a local SNP MSP and a nationalist government in Edinburgh is the best outcome for the people of the Far North. It makes it easier to talk directly to ministers. We don’t have to batter on the door because we are inside at the table.”
Mr Gibson is keen to see onshore and offshore renewable energy schemes being developed in the area and says the Pentland Firth and local ports such as Scrabster and Wick have important parts to play in such projects.
Mr Gibson also wants to see fuel and transport problems addressed and plans to call a bus summit to look at some of the local issues, including the timetable changes introduced by Stagecoach, which he says, have “disadvantaged people all over the North”.
Mr Gibson, who won his seat with 13,843 votes and established a 7458 majority over second-placed Liberal Democrat candidate Robbie Rowantree, thinks investment should be made in the rail network as it has become “a Cinderella service”.
He said: “The railway can play a part in regenerating the Caithness economy and could have a role to play in renewable energy as well.” Jobs and apprenticeships are other areas he wants to tackle along with disability issues. He also believes that the Scottish Parliament should have greater control over the powers of the Crown Estate.
In addition, Mr Gibson wants to protect schools and classroom assistants and ensure that health services are delivered in an appropriate way. He also feels that the arts in the Far North should get special attention and “not be squeezed out by the arts in Inverness”.
On the issue of independence, Mr Gibson stressed that a referendum would probably be held towards the latter end of the parliament to allow the Scottish people to decide on the matter.
He pointed out that the Scotland Bill, which is currently going through the House of Commons, will be implemented first. It would give the Scottish Parliament more control of income tax raised in Scotland but the new powers would be combined with a cut in block grant which is currently about £31 billion. A full debate would take place before a referendum was held.
The Far North seat was a stronghold for the Lib Dems and was held by Jamie Stone for 12 years until he decided to stand down. He had a majority at the last election of 2323 but Mr Gibson transformed that into a majority of almost 7500 on Thursday.
He claimed the “utterly negative campaign” fought by the Labour Party and the policies pursued by the Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition Government at Westminster helped his cause.
“People in the Highlands are not happy with the Lib Dems’ role in the coalition and the Tory agenda. And there was a perception that the Lib Dems chose a candidate that reflected the Conservative side of the coalition rather than the Lib Dem side,” he said.
However, he also argued that the success of the SNP minority Government in the last parliament played a key role in his win. “They had to operate in difficult economic times but put a team together that was respected and delivered for people in Scotland,” he said.
The SNP won all three Highland constituencies and celebrated victory nationwide following the collapse of the Labour and Liberal Democrat vote.
Mr Gibson, a regional list MSP for the Highlands and Islands since 2003, said the electorate voted for political renewal.
They rejected “the rut of pessimism and voted for a new positive and ambitious ?leadership,” he added.
