FOUR CANDIDATES HAVE confirmed they will contest the Moray seat at the Scottish Parliamentary Election in May.
Nominations closed on Friday at 4pm by which time Richard Lochhead (SNP), Sean Morton (Labour), Douglas Ross (Conservative) and Jamie Paterson (Scottish Liberal Democrats) had lodged their nomination papers.
Mr Lochhead, Mr Morton and Mr Ross are well known to Moray voters, the former having served in the last Parliament as a Cabinet Secretary while Mr Morton and Mr Ross are both serving Moray Councillors for the Fochabers/Lhanbryde ward.
Perhaps not so well known to insideMoray readers is Mr Paterson. Born and brought up in the Highlands, Jamie is a former Highland Councillor and Farms in Easter Ross. He was educated at Hilton and Nigg before moving to preparatory school in Moray at Gordonstoun.
Mr Paterson has been invited to join the other three candidates in putting their message to the Moray electorate throughout April via weekday blogs – the other three candidates along with the Moray Greens, who are contesting list seats for the Highlands and Islands, have already accepted.
The articles will begin on Monday and continue on the following rotation:
Mondays – Sean Morton (Labour)
Tuesdays – Richard Lochhead (SNP)
Wednesdays – James MacKessack-Leitch (Greens)
Thursdays – Douglas Ross (Conservative)
Friday – Jamie Paterson (Liberal Democrats, to be confirmed)