Like in the 2021 poll, SGA members have asked us to provide information to help them make choices on the ballot paper.
Prior to the Holyrood Parliament being dissolved, we polled candidates from all parties on how they might support gamekeepers, land and river ghillies and deer/wildlife managers, if re-elected.
In this guide, we focus on the response received from Alex Cole-Hamilton (Lib Dem leader and Edinburgh North Western candidate).
Alex, who worked as an advocate in Children’s Rights before being elected in 2016, succeeded Willie Rennie as Lib Dem leader and has targeted the Highlands as a key battle ground in this election.
In February, the Lib Dems announced it had secured a Budget deal with the Scottish Government to deliver priorities such as £178m to support businesses impacted by rates increases.
This is potentially significant in terms of the post-Election period as it could indicate a willingness on behalf of the Lib Dems and SNP to seek agreements, should the election not provide an overall majority.
What did Alex Cole-Hamilton say to the SGA?
"Scotland's rural communities, landscapes and wildlife depend on
good land
management and Scottish Liberal Democrats recognise the vital role that
responsible land
managers, including those involved in sustainable shooting
and conservation, play in delivering that.
"Our manifesto reflects our belief that
Scotland's rural
communities deserve better and we have committed to:
* Treating farmers, crofters,
fishers and land managers as partners
in tackling the climate and nature crises. Nature recovery and
food
production, and by extension habitat management and conservation, should be
seen as mutually
beneficial rather than competing interests.
* Work with partners including land managers and
environmental
organisations to tackle damaging overgrazing by deer, enabling young trees
to grow,
supporting rural employment and boosting the low-carbon wild
venison market.
"We
share the principle that legislation affecting land management should be
proportionate, workable and
informed by practical knowledge and sound
scientific evidence. The SNP's tendency to impose
top-down approaches
without proper engagement with the communities and practitioners affected
has
caused real damage, and we would reverse that culture."
*These guides are meant for
information purposes. They are not endorsements of any individual candidate or party by the SGA. Voting
is entirely down to individual preference/conscience.
If you are a candidate and want to be featured in our member Election Guides, please contact info@scottishgamekeepers.co.uk
Who else is running in Edinburgh North Western?
Irshad Ahmed (Labour)
Rachel Cairns (Conservative)
David Henry (Workers Party of Britain)
Lyn Ann Jardine (SNP)
David Thomson (Reform UK)
