New Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch MSP Andrew Baxter made his first speech in Holyrood this week. He looked very happy about it, as well he should given that he represents what I think are some of the most beautiful places in the world, especially my happy place, Rosemarkie Beach.

He paid tribute to the “resilient” communities of his constituency and set out his desire to be a voice for the Highlands on issues like building public services that are accessible, reliable and closer to home.

I was in tears when he talked about the lady whose husband had been put in a care home 2 hours away – the unnecessary reality of life in the Highlands.

I am also ashamed to say that I didn’t know about Nessie’s sister Morag, who apparently lives in Loch Morar, though Loch Ness is plenty big enough for two monsters, to be honest.

Watch here:

The text is below:

Thank you Presiding Officer.

May I congratulate you and all those new members in this Chamber upon your election. For some colleagues, looking at the pre-election polling, they must have been fairly certain that they would sit here as an MSP.

For me, I still remain surprised that I stand here today to make my first speech to this Parliament.

Perhaps not quite as surprised as my SNP colleagues. After all, many people said that overturning a majority of more than 15,000 votes – one of the SNP’s safest seats – was simply impossible. But that majority was a reflection of the immense popularity and dedication of my immediate predecessor, Kate Forbes, and before the recent boundary changes, of Fergus Ewing, who represented part of my constituency with equal distinction.

I follow two remarkably hard-working politicians who, in very different ways, represented both their constituents and the wider Highlands with passion and conviction.

Whilst it remains unclear whether all of their former colleagues fully recognise the loss that their departure represents to their political movement, it is clear that this Parliament is poorer for their absence. We all watch with interest to see what role Kate and Fergus will play in Scottish public life in the future.

Listening to numerous first speeches from colleagues in every party, it seems this speech is an opportunity for unabashed political boasting. A version of Constituency Top Trumps. Well, Presiding Officer, I am willing to take on any member at that game because I believe I hold all the best cards.

My Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch constituency has:

Britain’s tallest mountain—Ben Nevis.

Our deepest loch, with its own forgotten monster—Morag.

The largest body of freshwater in the UK —Loch Ness—with its rather more famous monster.

The most westerly point on the British mainland at Ardnamurchan.

Three of Scotland’s five ski centres—Glencoe, Nevis Range and Cairngorm.

The largest landslip in Britain—the beautiful Trotternish Ridge.

The World Porridge Making Championships.

And Dingwall, the site of a Norse Parliament that predates the so-called Mother of Parliaments in Westminster.

But, last and certainly not least, my constituency has a network of incredibly determined and resilient communities who, when faced with the reduction or loss of a public service, never simply accept that that is the end of the matter.

They roll up their sleeves. They organise. They fundraise. They volunteer. And they get things done.

Perhaps that is why support for the Liberal Democrats has traditionally been strongest in the Highlands. Because, like those communities, we believe in getting things done.

Today’s debate is about wealth taxation and how we fund our public services. That is an important discussion, and I welcome it. Those with the broadest shoulders should make a fair contribution towards the services upon which we all rely.

But if this Parliament is serious about funding public services properly, we must look beyond wealth taxation alone. We must also confront the urgent need for reform of council tax and non-domestic rates. Businesses across the Highlands continue to struggle with a rates system that often bears little resemblance to economic reality, whilst local government—the largest provider of many of our public services—continues to shoulder ever greater responsibilities with ever fewer resources.

Having served for twelve years as a Highland councillor, I have watched local government being hollowed out. Services have been centralised, reduced or removed altogether. It is fortunate that many of the communities I spoke about earlier have stepped in to fill the gaps. But volunteer goodwill is not an unlimited resource. Communities cannot be expected indefinitely to provide public services at cut-price rates while government retreats.

Because this debate is not ultimately about tax. It is about people.

For seventeen years I ran Kinlochleven Post Office. Behind a post office counter you see people at their very best. You see them at their lowest ebb. Behind every transaction was a story.

The small business owner frustrated watching decades of underinvestment in Highland roads that add costs, delays and uncertainty to every working day.

The supermarket worker struggling to stay in employment because bus services had been cut back. A £2 fare cap means very little if there is no reliable bus to catch.

The parent furious that their child had gone an entire academic year without a permanent maths teacher as they approached their National 5 examinations.

The man living with bipolar disorder being told he would wait a month for a telephone appointment with his GP.

The patient living with chronic pain, facing repeated long journeys simply to access treatment that should be available closer to home.

The single mother checking her balance and realising she had only a few pounds left to feed the meter, whilst living in a damp council house with ageing storage heaters and no prospect of improvements.

The lady in early stages of dementia standing bewildered and confused – who I hugged every week – tears streaming down her face. Not knowing what she will do when her husband, her rock, was placed in a care home two hours away because there were no beds closer to home.

That is the reality of public services for too many of our constituents.

My motivation for standing for election was simple.

I want to be a champion for the Highlands.

I want to be a voice for the Highlands.

Above all, I want to be a voice for those people—to help build public services that are accessible, reliable and closer to home, and that are there when people need them most.

That is the task I set myself as I take my place in this Parliament, and I look forward to working with members across the chamber to deliver it.

* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings. You can find her on Bluesky at caronmlindsay.bsky.social