Scottish Conservatives announce Harriet Cross as candidate for new Gordon and Buchan constituency
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
The Scottish Conservatives have selected Harriet Cross as their candidate for the new Gordon and Buchan constituency ahead of the next UK General Election.
The boundary changes have been formed from the majority of the existing Gordon constituency, currently held by the SNP and a smaller part of the Buchan and Banff constituency, held by Conservative MP David Duguid who will be standing in the new Aberdeenshire North and Moray East constituency.
Harriet, who is from Aberdeenshire and is a rural surveyor, is aiming to win the new seat at the next election, which will be held by January 2025 at the latest.
Her top priorities include safeguarding local jobs and skills, in particular within the oil and gas industry and farming sector, while improving key roads such as the A96 between Inverurie and Huntly, the A90 north of Ellon and A947 in areas such as Newmachar, Oldmeldrum and Fyvie.
The 32-year-old, who is a keen runner and hillwalker, supports bringing back rail links to long cut-off communities like Ellon while also focussing on improving health provision, schools and broadband across Gordon and Buchan.
Harriet said: “My work as a rural surveyor gets me right to the heart of the constituency. Over the years I have seen the dedication of our fantastic farmers and rural workforce to their industry and I want to ensure their cause and interests are properly represented at Westminster.
“As with many families across Gordon and Buchan, mine has also been reliant on the oil and gas sector over the decades.
“We in Aberdeenshire have a unique relationship with the sector and our region will suffer the greatest impacts if the transition to net zero and renewable energy sources is not properly managed.
“Unlike the SNP-Green Government, I am committed to ensuring our local economy and the tens of thousands of jobs and livelihoods reliant on the oil and gas industry are considered and protected as changes come into effect.”
She added: “Issues that matter to local people are of huge importance to me too. This is why I’m fully focussed on ensuring the north-east gets its fair share.
“I will do everything I can to fight for infrastructure improvements to roads such as the A96, A90 Toll of Birness/Cortes junctions and the A947.
"In a constituency as large and rural as this, we deserve a road network which is fit for purpose and it is unacceptable that north-east residents and businesses are still waiting for upgrades first promised by the SNP in 2007.
“Upgrading health centres such as Ellon, addressing minor injury unit access in areas like Turriff, and improving GP availability in places including Inverurie and Oldmeldrum will also be at the forefront of my aims as well as school provision and broadband across Gordon and Buchan.
“The SNP’s priority above everything else is still to push for another divisive independence referendum rather than focussing on the day job of improving public services.
“I want to listen and learn from those living and working in Gordon and Buchan and to represent them to the very best of my abilities in Westminster by focusing on what really matters to communities.”
