A first for the LibDems in the islands

Malcolm says the LibDems have a "proud tradition" in rural communities.

An island councillor has created history by becoming the first ever elected representative in the Western Isles for the Liberal Democrats.

Malcolm Macdonald, who represents the Stornoway North ward, stood as an independent in the council election in 2022 but has now announced the party label.

He said that while a number of LibDem members have previously stood for the council, none has been elected before.

Malcolm is well known in the island community. He is chairman of the Stornoway Historical Society, chairman and secretary of league champions Stornoway Athletic Football Club and a Boys Brigade officer.

For many years he was the Gazette’s football correspondent and also co-authored a major publication on the islanders who lost their life in the Iolaire tragedy, which published on the centenary of the incident and which was received to widespread acclaim.

Mr Macdonald said: “I am absolutely delighted to be representing the Western Isles as a Liberal Democrat councillor. As a party that champions communities and puts their needs first, they are a very natural fit for my own values.

“Whether it’s ferries, connectivity, health or population decline, people in the Western Isles feel that no one in government cares about the challenges in front of them. The SNP claim to be strong for Scotland, but they repeatedly ignore the issues that matter to people here.

“It doesn’t have to be like this. Liberal Democrats have a proud and long-standing tradition of standing up for rural communities. We are all about listening to people, understanding what they need and doing everything we can to make a difference for them. That’s exactly where my focus is as a Western Isles councillor."

Scottish Lib-Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton added: “Malcolm cares passionately about the Western Isles and its people, so it’s fantastic to see him representing the area as a Lib Dem.”

Meanwhile, it was announced that the party’s Orkney and Shetland MP, Alistair Carmichael, has been elected as Chair of the influential Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Select Committee at Westminster, with a pledge to “give a voice to rural, coastal and island communities in holding government to account”.