HE GATHERED 1395 VOTES in the Moray seat at the 2015 UK General Election – but Jamie Paterson is being described as a ‘ghost candidate’ having never set foot on campaign duty in the constituency.
Now the Liberal Democrat hopeful, whose agent’s address is given as being in Inverness while he is understood to be based in Edinburgh, is again attempting to gather votes in Moray – but has shown no signs of answering questions from those he hopes will vote for him.
Local newspapers and insideMoray have so far failed to hear from Mr Paterson while all other candidates have been quick to take up offers to putting their case to the Moray electorate.
Meanwhile the Liberal Democrat candidate for the Banffshire and Buchan Coast constituency, which includes part of Moray around Buckie, was quick to respond to insideMoray this week when invited to put his case to the electorate on our pages.
Mr Paterson has set up an election website with a contact form – including a box that indicates he is “happy to get emails”, it does appear, however, that he is not happy to respond to them.
One Liberal Democrat supporter contacted insideMoray seeking out why we had articles this week from all candidates bar Mr Paterson. Saying he would rather not be named, he added: “I support the national ideas being put forward by the Scottish Lib Dems – and I will be happy to vote for them on the list paper.
“I have to admit though – I’m baffled as to why they have put up a candidate for a second time who appears to have no intention of addressing the people of Moray on local issues.
“It shows a total disregard for the people of Moray – the Greens are contesting only on the list vote, and at least they are stating their case clearly on what they would do for Moray if elected.
“It would a lot less embarrassing for my party if they did the same in Moray rather than putting up a sham candidate who appears to care little for the area.”
There are four candidates contesting the election in Moray – Richard Lochhead (SNP), Douglas Ross (Scottish Conservative), Sean Morton (Scottish Labour) and Jamie Paterson (Scottish Liberal Democrats).