Lochaber Greens candidate 'delighted' with third place at first time of asking

The local branch of the Scottish Green Party says it is very happy with its candidate's third place in last week's Ward 21 by-election.

 

The voter turn-out was 25 per cent and Greens candidate Dr Kate Willis' share of the vote was 14.3 per cent.

 

Highlands and Islands Greens welcomed the share of the vote for Dr Willis, a

 

marine ecologist and campaigner, who came third in the ballot for the Fort William and

 

Ardnamurchan seat left vacant by the death of Conservative Ian Ramon in the autumn.

 

Dr Willis collected 328 votes in what was the first time a Scottish Green candidate had stood in council elections in Lochaber.

 

Dr Willis told the Lochaber Times that she intends to stand for election again when the nationwide Scottish local authority elections are held in May.

 

'We are at a time of crisis on so many fronts and I'm delighted that so many people voted for me. I am hoping they will do the same when I stand in May when four councillors will be elected.

 

'The result shows that more and more people are concerned about the environment and want to see strong action to tackle the climate and nature crisis and to make Scotland a fairer place to live.

 

'If so many people voted for a Green vision after just one month of campaigning, imagine how many will vote Green after five months. I’m ready to work harder and with this people-power, get elected in May.'

 

Dr Willis is well known from the work she is doing to deliver HIBIKE, the Fort William ebike share scheme as part of her work for Lochaber Environmental Group.

 

She was also a wildlife tour guide and has been campaigning for many years for action at every level to address the climate and ecological crisis, particularly by active travel, rewilding and local food production. She has lived in the Highlands for nearly 20 years.