Fergus Ewing welcomes election of new SNP MP

SNP Strathspey MSP Fergus Ewing has welcomed his newly elected party colleague Drew Hendry into the corridors of power.

He has congratulated Drew Hendry MP on taking Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey seat at Westminster.

Mr Ewing said: "He has fought an excellent campaign. He will be a great MP.

"I have worked closely with Drew over the campaign, at meetings, in canvassing around the doors, in street campaigning, and all over the constituency.

"Now that he has been elected, I look forward to continue working with him to advance the interests of our respective constituents.

"Both of us will work hard for all of the people in the constituencies that we represent - and it is important to emphasise that we will do so irrespective of whatever party our constituents support.

"We will seek to represent everyone - no matter who they may vote for or support and that principle of universal representation is very important to both of us.

"Drew Hendry’s success is a tremendous breakthrough for the SNP in the Highlands. Never before has an SNP candidate been entrusted to serve as the Member of Parliament for Westminster. He has therefore won an historic victory.

"This will ensure that, working with a much enlarged SNP team in London, we will be able to ensure that Scotland’s interests will no longer be ignored.

"For example, the last UK Government cut our capital budget by over a quarter which was a cut imposed by the UK Treasury under the Tory Lib Dem coalition. We will fight for a fair deal for Scotland - not the austerity deal delivered by the outgoing Government.

"Drew’s substantial experience of life, of business and of course, most recently, his political service as the convener of Highland Council means that he is well qualified to perform this important role as MP, with both energy and aplomb.

"We will work together as a team for the best interests of Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey - and for the people we serve."

Mr Ewing also expressed his commiserations on a personal level to the unseated Danny Alexander.

He said: "As I know myself, when I was serving my political apprenticeship in the 1990s, it is a tough experience to lose a parliamentary election, and I offer my sympathies to him.

"His decision to align the Highland Liberals with the Westminster Conservatives was deeply flawed, and the Lib Dems abrupt refusal to work with the SNP in 2007 was a strategic blunder which they probably now in their private moments bitterly regret.

"Whilst I do not agree with his politics, Danny and I always had a cordial relationship on a personal level. I acknowledge that he was active in his political representation for the area. I wish him well for the future."

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