Struan Mackie - Conservative Candidate Profile

5th June 2017

I am proud to call myself a Highlander and as a product of the Far North I am honoured to be contesting the constituency I call home. On June 8th I am asking for your vote to ensure we have the strongest voice in Westminster to fight for you, your family and our community.

As a business consultant I help businesses grow and create jobs across the United Kingdom and as a member of Ruth Davidson's' team, I am one of your Caithness Councillors representing the Thurso and Northwest Caithness ward. I want to use my business and political experience to ensure the Far North has a MP that will stand with all of us that live and work in the Highlands.

Our current representation in Westminster has been a source of frustration. Far too much focus has been given to divisive national issues and not the wellbeing of those who live in Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross. I will not be fixated on independence or try and derail the Brexit process. Instead, I will honour the result of both referendums... because it is the democratic thing to do.

We have urgent local needs that must be addressed in Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross and this should be our focus for the next five years. That's why I pledge to stand with the community; to fight for our local health and social care provision, make investments in vital transport infrastructure, improve connectivity across Highland and do everything possible to create jobs and build a prosperous future for the Far North of Scotland.

My pledges to the constituents in Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross are clear and I will be accountable as your MP;

- If I am returned to Westminster I will be fighting for a fair deal for the Far North. Ensuring our remote communities receive their fair share, the Highlands do not end at the Kessock Bridge! The Inverness City and Region deal must be the start of economic stimulus in the Highland’s and not a one off project.

- I will use my position as your MP to put pressure on the Scottish Government to ensure Highlanders are not ignored.I will fight with constituents to protect local care in the community and call for an end to the disastrous centralisation agenda. I will be establishing my constituency office in Caithness and plan to repair the strained relationship between our elected members and the Caithness public.

- From the green benches I will be a strong voice for you and your family in Parliament.We must ensure that our community has a seat at the table for the vital decisions shaping our future- we must unlock the opportunities from Brexit and embrace a global Britain trading with the rest of the world.

- I will be a job creating MP and champion the regeneration of our high streets. We must encourage new start-ups and support existing businesses to expand our rural economy. We must back our entrepreneurs to provide new jobs and opportunities for our people in the Far North of Scotland.