Donald Cameron MSP (Highlands and Islands), has appealed to residents in the Highlands and Islands to give him their views on Conservative proposals for tackling serious crime.

Mr Cameron, the Scottish Conservatives’ policy co-ordinator for the 2021 Scottish Parliamentary elections, said: "In order that we can provide Scotland with an alternative to Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP in 2021, we are very keen to gain feedback from as many people to our policy proposals to make them as relevant as possible to the needs and aspirations of everyone in Scotland.

“Unfortunately, it is a sad fact that far too many people in Scotland are affected by the behaviour of serious criminals. This needs to be properly addressed, and my colleague, Liam Kerr MSP, our shadow Justice Secretary, has outlined a number of key policy proposals in a member's bill in the Scottish Parliament to tackle this scourge.

“It would give Scottish judges the power to impose whole life sentences to those convicted of the most serious violent and sexual crimes including the murder of a police officer.

“The courts would still have discretion to impose the appropriate sentence based on all the facts of each case, as they do in England and Wales where such a provision already exists.

“The proposed Whole Life Custody (Scotland) Bill will not mean that the perpetrators of a particular crime will always receive a whole life sentence, but rather that the courts will have the power to impose one where there is sufficient justification.

“We have now begun the consultation process and experts and members of the public are invited to register their views, and I would be very interested to learn more about what people in my region – the Highlands and Islands – think about this.

“Please drop me a line by email at: [email protected] or write to me at: Donald Cameron MSP, 108 George Street, Oban, PA34 5NT, with your views.”