FALLOUT: Caithness cuts claim SNP seat

"There were people unhappy with his prominence in the community - that he wasn't here very often" NICOLA SINCLAIR, CHAT

Campaigners for better healthcare in Caithness and Sutherland claim the loss of local services cost the SNP in the General Election.

Controversial SNP candidate Paul Monaghan lost his seat to the LibDems, after failing to convince voters to re-elect him as the local MP for Caithness, Sutherland, and Easter Ross.

Mr Monaghan had been under fierce criticism for taking so long to meet with a pressure group who are concerned about the downgrading of Wick's maternity unit.

A meeting finally took place once the General Election had been announced by Prime Minister Theresa May, firing the starting pistol for campaigning, during which candidates were seeking to raise their local profiles, and gain as much publicity as possible...

Caithness Health Action Team secretary Nicola Sinclair told MFR News: "A lot of people locally were feeding back that they were very disappointed that Dr Monaghan didn't do more to intervene in the healthcare situation in Caithness.

"People are really looking for a candidate who feels like a part of the community, and who's willing to stand with the community."

"His conduct on social media was in the headlines quite a lot in quite a negative respect" NICOLA SINCLAIR, CHAT

Losing to LibDem candidate Jamie Stone came after Monaghan's continued silence over the Scottish Government's centralisation of local healthcare services, forcing some mums to travel down the A9 in the back of an ambulance on a two-hour journey to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness, just to give birth to their babies.

A turnout of 66-per-cent of people eligible to vote visited their local polling stations on Thursday, and in the early hours of yesterday morning, Highland Council officials announced the result of the ballot count in Dingwall.

With a shock majority of over 2,000-votes LibDem Jamie Stone snatched the seat away from Monaghan, who later Tweeted that it had 'been an honour' to represent the constituency.

In the run up to election day an SNP insider told MFR News that their candidate was "toast" and the sentiment was echoed by other party members throughout the snap election's short campaign.

In fact, when SNP leader, and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon visited the North on more than one occasion, to campaign alongside her party's General Election candidates, she did not give the same support to Paul Monaghan.

Nicola Sinclair, who lives in Wick, added: "There were people unhappy with his prominence in the community - that he wasn't here very often. He spent a lot of time abroad.

"His conduct on social media was in the headlines quite a lot in quite a negative respect."

• Paul Monaghan
• #GE2017
• Caithness Health Action Team