Author: NR

Fiona Campbell Trevor (Lib Dem)

A small business owner and political campaigner who is currently a candidate for the Scottish Liberal Democrats in the General Election, standing in Moray. Fiona’s business interests includes Eddrachilles Hotel, a small seasonal Scottish Highland hotel located on the far North West coast of Sutherland where she and her husband have been based since 2016.

Jo Kirby (Labour)

Jo Kirby, who lives in Miltonduff, near Elgin, came third in the 2017 poll with 5,200 votes. Now, the former Elgin Academy and Milne’s High School teacher, who now works as an anti-poverty officer has been selected by activists to contest the seat again. Mrs Kirby was unanimously backed by local members in a secret ballot. She said: “I’ve spent my whole life working to improve the lives of others, both as a teacher and in my work against poverty. “I now hope to continue the fight against poverty and inequality on Westminster’s green benches.” Mrs Kirby increased Labour’s votes from the 2015 election, when candidate Sean Morton secured nearly 4,900 votes and 9.9% of the share, with 10.9% of the turnout in 2017.

Laura Mitchell (SNP)

Laura Mitchell is understood to be the only nominee at present for the nationalist ticket. And she has won the backing of former Moray MP and SNP leader at Westminster, Angus Robertson. Ms Mitchell was formerly election agent for Mr Robertson and is currently constituency office manager for Moray MSP Richard Lochead. Ms Mitchell said: “I’m delighted to have been nominated as potential SNP candidate for Moray.”Over the last two years Moray has had a Member of Parliament who has voted against our interests and has put his careers ahead of his constituents – if I am elected that will change.” Ms Mitchell (31), was a pupil at Keith Grammar School before studying at university in Edinburgh. She moved back to Moray after graduating.

Douglas Ross (Conservative)

Ross was first elected to Moray council in 2007 representing the Fochabers-Lhanbryde ward, and became part of the Independent/Conservative administration. He resigned from the council administration in December 2009, but continued as a Councillor. In 2012 he was re-elected to the Moray council. He again became part of the ruling administration group, but was ‘ousted’ from this in 2014, following a debate about school closures. He has three times stood as the Conservative candidate in the Moray constituency at the UK Parliament and twice as the Conservative candidate for the Moray Scottish Parliament constituency, coming second to Angus Robertson in the 2010 and 2015 UK elections, and second to Richard Lochead in the 2011 and  2016 Scottish elections, increasing his vote by 5.0% in 2015 and 18.0% in 2016. He became a member of the Scottish parliament in May 2016 for Highland and Islands after being placed first on the regional list.

Rob Scorer (UKIP)

UKIP received 1936 votes, 3.9 per cent of the vote, in 2015, a figure higher than the Lib Dems total that year, but didn’t stand in 2017. They are back this time round, and Rob Scorer, who lives in Lossiemouth, hopes to take votes from the Brexit Party – who are not standing a candidate in Moray in line with UK policy. He said: “With us, voters will get exactly the same as the Brexit Party: someone who wants out of the EU. “I’m not a huge fan of tactical voting. If you vote tactically you are generally voting for someone who you don’t want. That’s how the Conservatives got in last time in Moray and they gave us Theresa May, probably the most useless Prime Minister ever.”

Moray had the highest Brexit vote in Scotland, although the majority voted in favour of remaining in the EU. Mr Scorer added: “21 per cent voted Brexit Party in the European elections so there is a taste for it. There is people who are interested in voting for us. “We are in favour of a harder Brexit. I don’t see the point in giving EU any kind of upper hand. We voted to leave not for a deal. “We want out of customs union, court of justice and single market.”