SCP praises independent councillors



Scottish Christian Party logoThe Scottish Christian Party in the Western Isles will not be putting up party candidates in the local Council election on 3 May. The local party committee decided on Monday that it would be best if the Comhairle continued to be run by independent Councillors.

Murdo Murray, the party’s first candidate on the Highlands and Islands regional list for the Scottish parliament, commented,

“I have always been impressed at how individual Christian Councillors on the Comhairle have worked well together, as well as being excellent community representatives. On a number of issues where it has been unpopular to hold to biblical truth, Christian Councillors, together with Councillors who do not profess to be Christians, but respect the views of their community, have tried to stand up to pressure from the Scottish Executive and other mainland interest groups on issues such as Sabbath sailings, licensing extensions and civil partnership celebrations. We hope the electorate give them the chance to continue this vital role, particularly as Education, Child Care and what is taught to our children continue to be moral battlegrounds in Scotland.”

While creating a base at Council ward level is an important factor in building a sustainable political party, the Scottish Christian Party did not want to create two tiers of ‘Christian Councillor’ in the 2007-11 Council.

David O’Loan, Campaign Manager for the Western Isles, said,

“We are not standing against sitting and prospective Christian Councillors, nor against the sitting constituency MSP, Alasdair Morrison, whose voting record George Hargreaves commended last year. We will revisit these decisions four years from now, based on how Councillors and Constituency MSP vote during that time. Despite the attractions of standing for the Comhairle, we want to keep our message simple: ‘Put your cross by the cross of the Scottish Christian Party, on the left side of the ballot paper, and make Murdo Murray a regional MSP.’”


Further information can be obtained on the SCP's Highlands and Island's web site.