Columns and Opinions

I would like to start this column by wishing all readers of the Banffshire Journal a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year when it comes.

I am sure that most people will be hoping for a break from politics over the festive period after the first winter general election since 1935.

It has become a feature of recent elections for Nicola Sturgeon to make a pitch to Scots who do not share her enthusiasm for breaking up the United Kingdom.

Voters are told that they do not necessarily have to support independence to back the SNP.

David Duguid has launched a scathing attack on the first minister, accusing her of “ignoring” rural communities such as the coastal towns in Banff and Buchan.

In 2017, the Conservative took the constituency from the SNP – overturning a 14,300 majority.

Banff and Buchan was a closely contested seat in today’s election but retained by Conservative David Duguid.

The constituency threw up one of the most surprising results of the 2017 election when Mr Duguid and the Tories overturned a 14,300 majority to take the seat from the SNP.

Visiting an Aberdeenshire farm, the Prime Minister announced that some £211 million is coming to Scotland’s farmers.

I welcomed the findings of the Bew review on EU convergence funding, following a campaign by Scottish Conservative MPs to set a past wrong right.

Our new Prime Minister is a strong advocate for the Union and will stand up against Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP. They are running scared from Mr. Johnson and his positive vision for the whole United Kingdom outside of the EU.

Last year, Turriff won the ‘Scotland’s Towns’ award for most beautiful high street in Scotland.

It was a highly-competitive category but the award was well-deserved.

The announcement of an hours reduction at Turriff Hospital’s minor injuries unit has been a real blow to the community and those who represent it.

Climate change has been at the forefront of the political agenda in recent months.

The UK Government has become the first of the G7 nations to commit in law to reducing carbon emissions to net zero by 2050.

I am very pleased to hear that, following an appeal for new members, the St Marnans Sports Club have had a productive AGM and filled their committee.