Politics / Macdonald and Lyall in contest to become Lib Dems’ parliamentary candidate
TWO SENIOR councillors will go head to head in a contest to become the Shetland candidate for the Liberal Democrats in next year’s election to the Scottish Parliament.
SIC leader Emma Macdonald and chair of the environment and transport committee Moraig Lyall will both vie to succeed MSP Beatrice Wishart in one of the safest seats for the Lib Dems in Scotland.
Wishart, who was first elected in a by-election in 2019, announced earlier this year that she will not stand again.
Macdonald and Lyall have both come through a selection process and will now have to set out their stall and answer questions in a hustings meeting with party members.
The successful candidate is expected to be known by the end of June following a ballot of local party members.
Chair of the party’s shortlisting committee Alistair Christie-Henry said: “Candidate selection in the Liberal Democrats is a process where it is local party members who make the choice.
“I am pleased that we have two strong candidates to put to local members and I am confident that once the decision is made, we shall all work as hard as possible to ensure that Shetland continues to benefit from hard working and effective Liberal Democrat representation in Holyrood.”
Isles MP Alistair Carmichael added: “I know both Emma and Moraig well, having worked with them both as councillors over the years. They both have a record of working hard for local people and for putting local communities first.
“Liberal Democrats have a long record of electoral success in Shetland but at no point have we ever taken that success for granted. We don’t intend to start now.”
The Holyrood election will take place on 7 May 2026.
Confirmation of Hannah Mary Goodlad as the SNP’s local candidate is expected to be confirmed by the party in the coming weeks.
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