Tories re-select farmer as election candidate for Orkney and Shetland

The Scottish Conservatives have re-selected farmer Frank Nairn as their candidate for Orkney and Shetland at the General Election, which has to be held before June next year. He said he aimed to double the Tory share of the vote in the constituency.

Mr Nairn, who secured 2,357 votes (10.3 per cent) in the 2005 election, was the unanimous choice of members of the Orkney and Shetland Conservative associations who met in the St Magnus Centre in Kirkwall last week.

Speaking after the meeting, he said: “It is great to be back. I am passionate about Orkney and Shetland. I shall be campaigning for the election of a Conservative government at Westminster.

“This is an election at which every vote will count. There will be no wasted Tory votes. It will be vital to demonstrate the support there is for David Cameron and his team in every constituency in Scotland. My aim is to double the Conservative vote and the Conservative share of the vote in Orkney and Shetland. The Labour government has run out of energy and ideas and it is time for them to go.”

Mr Nairn, who lives near Beauly in Inverness-shire, is well known in political circles in the north of Scotland as a Tory activist. This will be his fourth General Election as a candidate. As well as being a farmer and tourist operator, he has business interests in the Middle East and has recently taken over the chair of a charity looking after the welfare of Palestinian children in East Jerusalem and the Occupied Territories.

Chairman of the Shetland Conservative Association Maurice Mullay said: “We are delighted with the outcome of the selection process. Our members are really excited that Frank has decided to come back for a second attempt. This gives us the opportunity to build on all the hard work put in 2005 and 2007. If anyone can give the LibDems a run for their money, it is Frank Nairn.”