Scott MacLennan

1 week ago | johnogroat-journal.co.uk | Scott MacLennan

NHS Highland’s board has been accused of being too afraid to fight to retain local services – with patients suffering as a result. Many services once located in Inverness are now leaking away to other parts of the country, forcing many patient to take long journeys for treatment including to Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Highland Conservative and SNP MSPs Edward Mountain and Fergus Ewing are concerned local services are being “run down”, leading to “adverse outcomes” for patients.

1 week ago | inverness-courier.co.uk | Scott MacLennan

Highland Council has agreed the appointment of Maggie Cunningham and Dr. Jim McCormick to lead the new £870,000 poverty and equality commission board. The role of the commission will be to tackle poverty “effectively” in the Highlands, including by considering rural factors and helping people access benefits. The council said that thousands of people in the region could access an estimated £70 million of unclaimed benefits that includes pension credits impacting 3000 people.

1 week ago | ross-shirejournal.co.uk | Scott MacLennan

The SNP has selected MSP Maree Todd as its 2026 Caithness, Sutherland and Ross candidate in the 2026 Scottish Parliament elections. Ms Todd has been a Highland MSP since 2016 and has held the far north seat since Gail Ross stood down back in 2021 and was not challenged by any other member. She has in that time served in a number of ministerial roles, including minister public and women's health; minister for children and is currently minister for social care, mental wellbeing and sport.

1 week ago | inverness-courier.co.uk | Scott MacLennan

Inverness and Nairn MSP Fergus Ewing has slammed the Scottish Government’s “disgraceful” take on dualling the A96 in its newly unveiled Programme for Government. The programme outlines First Minister John Swinney’s priorities for the next 12 months, which he brought forward from the autumn due to next year’s Holyrood elections. The biggest update was on the A9 with draft orders on the Pass of Birnam to Tay Crossing due in the spring.

1 week ago | inverness-courier.co.uk | Scott MacLennan

Exactly one year from now the Scottish public will vote for their next government in an election seen as one of the most important since devolution. The reasons for that are those voting for the 2026 Scottish Parliament will pose more serious and more significant challenges to the main parties than any other before it. The campaign essentially started yesterday when First Minister John Swinney launched a renewed SNP programme for government leading up to May 2026.