New Tory MSP Tim Eagle sworn in

Scottish Tory MSP Tim Eagle has been sworn in at Holyrood.

Mr 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.

Mr 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.

The new MSP said he was “honoured and thrilled” to take up his seat, also praising the “strong voice”  for the Highlands offered by Mr 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 Mr 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.”