Scottish Conservative Councillor and business owner Helen Crawford has confirmed she will stand as a candidate in the Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch constituency at the 2026 Holyrood Elections.
Councillor Crawford, who famously organised two Conventions on Energy with the support of over 50 Community Councils, has said her priorities include reviewing renewable energy projects, addressing the educational attainment gap, and supporting local business growth to create jobs and opportunities. She says Highlanders desperately need and deserve proper energy planning, as well as a national review of energy infrastructure across the Highlands.
The Aird and Loch Ness Councillor is calling for a pause on all renewable energy applications to allow time for a national review of developments. Known for her ability to work across political divides, she points to a proven track record of cross-party collaboration to deliver change. She says she would use that experience to address key issues and build a stronger voice for the Highlands at Holyrood.
“I’ll take the pylon fight to parliament. Through cross-party working we can achieve change - I’ve proven this at Highland Council when I secured the release of the Highland Energy Map. And I obtained cross-party support from 11 MPs and MSPs, who signed a pledge at the second convention to secure urgent debates on the subject at Holyrood and Westminster. The Energy Minister must listen to communities — I’ll do all I can to make sure that happens.” said Councillor Crawford.
Over her three years as a Highland councillor and respected member of the Education Committee, Helen has:
Forced a U-turn on fees for Early Learning and Childcare providers
Led calls for an overhaul of the council’s school attainment strategy
Brought national attention to the condition of Highland schools, helping secure fresh priority for St Clements, Beauly, Charleston and Portree.
As a business owner, Crawford champions local economic concerns and promotes issues of job and opportunity creation. She has pledged to ensure that the proposed Tourism Tax works fairly for accommodation providers, and points to significant deficiencies in the legislation as currently drafted which she says will penalise tourism businesses unfairly.
“Tourism is a lifeblood industry for the Highlands, but our communities and landscape must also work for the people who live here all year round. I am pushing for an amendment to the current Tourist Levy legislation so that it works for Highland businesses, not against them.” she said.
Having engaged with more than 60 community councils and numerous groups across the region, she argues the Highlands need strong representation and proper engagement and an MSP that will listen and act on their behalf.
“At the last Scottish Election, my party came second in this constituency, so I am aiming high. My strong feeling is that we have a unique opportunity to make real progress on issues we all care about if we work together. For too long, the Highlands and Scotland has been divided on party lines - I’m making the case to win folk’s respect with a promise to represent people fairly and equally.”