Ex-Greens MSP and land reform activist Andy Wightman moving to Lochaber

Former Greens MSP and land rights campaigner Andy Wightman will be standing as an Independent for the Highlands and Islands in May’s Scottish parliamentary elections and the switch will see him moving to live in Lochaber from next week.

Mr Wightman says he will need to get around 15,000 votes to get elected and a Crowdfunder to raise £10,000 to pay for the development of a digital campaigning platform had reached more than 80 per cent of its target within 72 hours of launching on Saturday.

Mr Wightman, who resigned from the Scottish Green party at Holyrood in December after a dispute involving the reform of the Gender Recognition Act, is a highly-respected land reform campaigner who has been an MSP for the Lothians since 2016. Writing on his website, Mr Wightman states: ‘As an Independent candidate permanently based in Lochaber, from March 26 2021, I am offering you the opportunity to vote for experience, integrity, independent thinking, a commitment to strengthening local democracy and a track record of success. Holyrood needs more independent voices.’

On the controversial issue of land reform, Mr Wightman comments: 'As a long-standing land campaigner and author of Who Owns Scotland 1996 and The Poor Had No Lawyers 2010, a focus of my election campaign will be a Land for the People Bill to reform Scotland’s antiquated land laws and democratise the ownership and use of land and property.