BSCG invited all the candidates for the Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey constituency to prepare a short introductory statement about themselves and the environment to present at the hustings, and which will be displayed on BSCG's website as and when we receive them.

Thanks to Ritchie Cunningham, Liberal Democrat, who has been the first to respond, with the following statement:

Ritchie Cunningham, Liberal Democrat

"Ritchie Cunningham has lived in the Highlands for 31 years, at first in Inverness and for the last 13 years in Nairn. Ritchie has a strong local knowledge and his wide experience makes him an ideal candidate to stand up for the Highlands.

• Education Adviser to Highland Regional Council for 5 years (1986-91)
• Headteacher of Inverness High School for 23 years (1991-2014)
• He has served on the boards of UHI and Inverness College, giving of his time freely to develop education opportunities throughout the Highlands
• Served as an unpaid director on several local charities
• Experience as a teacher, examiner and author

As a trained Geographer Ritchie is well informed on environmental issues and has written extensively on numerous environmental topics in several of his textbooks and other publications."

Thanks to Donald Boyd, Scottish Christian Party, for the following statement:

“Dr Donald Boyd is a 62 y/o, retired medical doctor, married with four adult children and three grandchildren. He is the leader of the Scottish Christian Party and the candidate for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey constituency in the 2017 General Election.

The Scottish Christian Party supports sustainable development and campaigns against built-in obsolescence fuelling consumerism.

The 2017 Scottish Environment LINK Manifesto calls “on all parties to put sustainability and the protection of our natural environment at the heart of their manifestos.” The Scottish Christian Party has always done so. The first paragraph in the first manifesto ever produced by the Scottish Christian Party was about Sustainability:

“Scotland’s natural resources and its historical work ethic are well suited to self-sustainability in the climate of reduced reliance on fossil fuels. Wise stewardship of God-given resources is essential to build a just and prosperous nation. Scotland has great natural advantages that, properly managed, can provide the essential services for civilised life and useful productive employment. The economy should be the servant of the people of Scotland, not their master.
"To achieve self-sustainability waste must be reduced. We will encourage built-in continuity rather than built-in obsolescence. We will seek to improve energy efficiency in our homes and lifestyles. We will also support local supply of food and recreation, power and building materials.” Scottish Christian Party Holyrood Manifesto 2007.

The practicalities of Brexit mean that the Scottish Christian Party supports the default position of incorporating EU standards into UK law, and that subsequent changes should only be implemented through proper debate in a post-Brexit administration.
We see climate change as God’s method of knocking unwilling international heads together, and it presents a global opportunity for international co-operation to replace unsustainable competitiveness, which combined with the sabbatarian theme within Christianity reminds mankind to slow down to a sustainable rate of progress.
Our policies on Energy and the Environment are available on our website at http://www.ukchristianparty.org/energy-and-the-environment.html