Election / Lesser spotted Conservative candidate pledges energy and enthusiasm if elected
“YES, I haven’t been the most active candidate.”
So admits Douglas Barnett, the lesser seen 21-year-old Conservative representative standing to become Shetland’s new MSP next week.
Amid initial excitement about Reform candidate Vic Currie’s identity – from more excitable news sources than this one – Barnett’s non-appearances have flown somewhat under the radar.
Barnett is the only candidate who has not attended any of the local election hustings, not even remotely, with Tory list MSP hopeful Jamie Halcro Johnston taking his place at fishing and BBC events.
The Aberdeen University student has not set foot in Shetland during the election campaign, failing to chap upon a single door to ask for votes.
But Barnett does not agree with the notion that he has ducked the election campaign entirely.
“I’m still engaging in the process,” he told Shetland News.
“Yes, I haven’t been the most active candidate. I haven’t been [to Shetland], I had intended to go but I was ill unfortunately.
“Jamie Halcro Johnston has come in for me sometimes.”
Speaking to Barnett proved as difficult for Shetland News as it has for local voters, with repeated attempts to secure an interview being passed over or not being responded to.
Finally a plea to Halcro Johnston saw Barnett being made available for interview a day later.
Despite proving less than available, Barnett fully believes that he is the “breath of fresh air” that Shetland needs right now.
“I’m quite young. I think Shetland needs a bit more energy and enthusiasm,” he said.
“It’s a place that’s so economically active. I think Shetland needs someone a bit younger.”
Political parties are often accused of “parachuting” candidates in to stand in certain seats to ensure they are still contested, and Shetland is no exception.
Barnett did little to dissuade that notion when asked whether standing in the seat had been a long-term aim.
“No, not really,” he said. “It was not something I have been thinking about for a while.
“It was more of a spur of the moment decision.”
Why Shetland then? Barnett admitted it was a place he “didn’t know an enormous amount” about before putting his name forward.
But he said he thought it had been a “great opportunity to represent Shetland”.
And he pledged that ferries, tunnels, healthcare and housing were his key priorities if elected on 7 May.
“Shetland has things a bit better in terms of a relatively well-funded council, and it still does economically well for itself.
“But it hasn’t had the investment, particularly from the SNP government.”
Barnett pointed to a recent £10 million investment from the Scottish Government which will go towards a new relief ferry, and said it showed the SNP were “fighting fires” rather than providing long-term investment.
While he may not have set foot in the isles during the campaign, he has spoken to some postal voters – and believes he has “heard more support than I thought I was going to get”.
The 21-year-old has “been a Conservative for a while”, and said he backed them because of their “common sense politics”.
He repeatedly criticised the SNP, saying it was essential that they were stopped from earning an outright majority in Holyrood next week.
“The SNP spend and spend and spend, but they don’t have any reins on the money,” he said.
“Their wastage on benefits is ridiculous.”
Asked why he backed the Conservatives at a time when the party has seen its influence wane, particularly during the rise of Reform UK, Barnett said he saw them as the “defender of the union”.
“I do think that’s really important,” he added.
He refused a suggestion that the parties had similarities, calling Reform “absolute con men”.
And while he refused to be drawn on what a good election result would look like for himself and his party next week, Barnett said he would “hope to win of course”.
“Hopefully we can increase the votes, and increase the votes across the Highlands and Islands and get our list MSPs in.”
The election on 7 May holds a lot of uncertainties for Shetland, but Barnett believes there is one guarantee – that he will arrive in the isles for the election count next Friday.
There are seven more candidates contesting the Shetland seat. They are in alphabetical order: Alex Armitage (Greens), Vic Currie (Reform UK), John Erskine (Labour), Hannah Mary Goodlad (SNP), Emma Macdonald (Liberal Democrats), Brian Nugent (Alliance to Liberate Scotland) and Peter Tait (independent).
Shetland News is running features on each candidate in the run up to the vote on 7 May. You can read these at the links below:
- Alex Armitage (Greens)
- Vic Currie (Reform)
- John Erskine (Labour)
- Hannah Mary Goodlad (SNP)
- Brian Nugent (Alliance to Liberate Scotland)
- Peter Tait (independent)
Become a member of Shetland News
Shetland News is asking its readers to consider paying for membership to get additional perks:
- Removal of third-party ads;
- Bookmark posts to read later;
- Exclusive curated weekly newsletter;
- Hide membership messages;
- Comments open for discussion.
If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a member of Shetland News by either making a single payment, or setting up a monthly, quarterly or yearly subscription.
Already a member? Sign in to hide this message.
