The Scottish Family Party’s political hopeful for the Western Isles is doubling up on his campaigning efforts as the general election clashes with a local ballot on 4 July.
Dr Steven Welsh of Stornoway is running in the Westminster poll as he bids to become
the islands’ next MP while also fighting Na Hearadh by-election against Scalpay man
Kenny Macleod to select a councillor for the Harris ward on Comhairle nan Eilean
Siar.
Rishi Sunak rained on their parade two weeks ago when he delivered a surprise call revealing the polling date. Unfortunately for the Scottish Family Party, the Prime Minister’s soggy speech outside No 10 failed to consider the comhairle’s carefully planned timetable arrangements for the Harris vote.
For a small party such as theirs, fighting two election campaigns in parallel is going to be very challenging.
As their recently appointed local constituency chairman, Steven Welsh searched for
a willing Harris based candidate holding their “pro-family, pro-marriage, pro-life”
values.
That turned out to be an unsuccessful exercise in the short timeframe and he was persuaded to stand himself.
Now with his name also confirmed for the UK Parliament ballot, Dr Welsh faces covering much wider ground than anticipated.
The 64-year-old covered Harris - and indeed the whole of the Western Isles archipelago
from the Butt to Barra - in his previous capacity as an NHS consultant psychiatrist
based in Stornoway.
He said: “I understand how health care, demography, and transport are all impacted by remote and rural and island geographical considerations.
“I was brought up in the small town of Wigtown, the home of the Wigtown Martyrs, in South West Scotland situated some 55 miles from the nearest big hospital.
“It took over an hour by car or ambulance along the A75 weather permitting. I have also lived and worked in Caithness.”
This Saturday, the Scottish Family Party launches its Western Isles general election campaign at 3.30pm in the County Hotel, Stornoway.
The party’s Na Hearadh ward by-election campaign launch is on Monday evening (doors
open 7.30pm after the Zumba class) in the Tarbert Community Centre.
Party leader, Richard Lucas, plans to join Dr Welsh at both events.
Scottish Family Party candidate for Western Isles standing in two elections on 4 July
4 June 2024
