SCOTTISH Tory MSP Tim Eagle has been sworn in at Holyrood.
Eagle became a representative for the Highlands and Islands region after his party colleague Donald Cameron resigned from the Scottish Parliament to take up a seat in the House of Lords and become a minister in the Scotland Office.
Eagle – who lives in Forres, Moray – was formerly a leader of Moray Council before he stood down as a councillor in 2022 following negative social media attention.
In January 2022, Eagle came under fire for referring to services such as free school meals as "little treats".
READ MORE: Labour call for immediate ceasefire in Gaza in major climbdown
In a clip, Eagle listed many benefits children in Scotland receive and went onto say that they are all "wonderful things", but criticised money being spent on them.
The new MSP said he was “honoured and thrilled” to take up his seat, also praising the “strong voice” for the Highlands offered by Cameron.
“As somebody who has represented rural and remote communities before as a councillor, I am acutely aware of the challenges they face and how this central belt-obsessed SNP-Green government has let them down at every turn,” he said.
“From the ferries fiasco, to centralising key public services, failing to deliver enough housing and upgrading key roads at a snail-like pace, the SNP-Green government have forgotten rural Scotland.
“Alongside Douglas Ross and my Scottish Conservative colleagues, I will be holding Humza Yousaf and his failing government to account.”
Scottish Tory leader Ross said he has “no doubt that he will be a fantastic representative for the Highlands and Islands”, adding: “Like myself, Tim knows how Humza Yousaf and the SNP-Green government have forgotten our rural communities.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel