Let’s celebrate another amazing Highland Lib Dem GAIN

By Caron Lindsay | Fri 6th April 2018 - 9:36 pm

Great news this morning which I’ve been unable to share with you until now because I’ve been at work.

There have been a few Lib Dem gains in the Highlands in recent years – Carolyn Caddick in Inverness South, Jean Davis in Aird and Loch Ness and Trish Robertson in Culloden and Ardersier. Today they were joined by Denis Rixson in Caol and Mallaig. This is a bit of Charles Kennedy’s old seat turned gold again and taken from the SNP.

I’ve been hearing from Lib Dems on the ground that it felt good, but I’m not sure anyone actually expected us to do it until today. What a superb result.

@cllrtrobertson @jeanmedavis Cllr Denis Rixson and I celebrating with lunch @MooringsFW after his spectacular win in the @HighlandCouncil #CaolandMallaig by-election #libdemfightback pic.twitter.com/Rgoakb7ZbV

— Angela MacLean (@CllrAngelaM) April 6, 2018

Willie Rennie was a wee bit chuffed:

This is a magnificent Liberal Democrat win in the heart of the highlands. It shows Lib Dems have the strength to take on and beat the SNP in Scotland.

We’re on the rise, Denis is a champion for the area and we’re making a strong case for progressive politics. This is Ian Blackford’s territory and we’re coming for his seat next.

Denis Rixson was delighted to be joining the Highland Council Lib Dems:

I’m absolutely delighted to have been elected as the new councillor for Caol and Mallaig.

There is a proud liberal tradition in the Highlands and Islands and after a couple of blows, it’s fantastic to see people backing a liberal candidate once more.

“My job starts now, I’m here to work for people of every political persuasion and I hope as many of them as possible will be bending my ear in the near future

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

3 Comments

James Baillie 7th Apr '18 - 4:51pm

Fun fact: there are six European countries smaller in land area (Vatican, Monaco, San Marino, Malta, Andorra and Liechtenstein) than Caol & Mallaig ward – impressive to fight election campaigns up there! And a fantastic victory – well done the highlanders 🙂
theakes 7th Apr '18 - 7:06pm

Yes. Good.
Richard Underhill 9th Apr '18 - 5:06pm

This might not imply anything too tribal, it may be that the electors have reached a very positive collective opinion about the candidate’s ability and potential as a constituency member.