INDEPENDENT Highlands and Islands list MSP Jean Urquhart has said the region needs another radical party after the demise of the Liberal Democrats.

Urquhart, who lives in Shetland, tops the regional list for the new left alliance RISE, which stands for respect, independence, socialism and environmentalism.

RISE grew out of the radical independence campaign of 2014 and was formed as a party in August last year.

2 of 12 Adverts

The 66 year old became a list MSP for the SNP during their landslide election victory in 2011, but left the party in October 2012 after it reversed its policy that an independent Scotland would stay out of the western defence alliance NATO.

Speaking to Shetland News on Thursday, Urquhart said RISE was campaigning for a Scottish republic that was outside NATO.

She said 100 years ago it was the Liberal Party which had been the radical voice for the highlands and islands, standing up to landlordism on behalf of crofters’ rights.

3 of 12 Adverts

“They were the party that was fighting for land reform and for social justice, but they are no more,” she said.

“RISE is left and I know that some people recoil from those words, but I think it is time for the world to move back to the left. People really don’t want to see more privatisation and more austerity.

“Also, if we accept what the polls are saying and the SNP will have another majority, then we really need people on the opposition benches who are able to hold them to account on some of their policies.

4 of 12 Adverts

“There are lots of people who want Scotland to be an independent country, but who are not sympathetic to the Scottish National Party.

“If we were to see a healthy number of pro-independence parliamentarians on the opposition benches, Greens as well, I think it will change the dynamics of the parliament,” she said.

Urquhart conceded that the highlands and islands were rarely associated with socialist politics, but believed support existed, especially in the more urban areas

As yet there are no plans for a RISE branch to be established in Shetland but the party hopes to hold a public meeting before the May election.

Urquhart accepted that as a list candidate she was unlikely to be invited to any of the local hustings.

“The National Party of Scotland started in 1928 with a handful of folk in a backroom and it took them some time to become a real force,” she said.

“I hope that RISE can do something a bit quicker than that, but time will tell. We have to start somewhere, and I am really happy to lend my support to something I believe in.”