Dave Thompson MSP

Dave Thompson MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch issues his mould breaking  referendum survey result and signals his hope to represent Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch in the first Independent Scottish Parliament in 309 years.

Dave Thompson sought permission from the Scottish Parliament to issue impartial questionnaires to his constituents.

His office distributed approximately 1300 of these randomly across the constituency of Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch in early January 2014.

Since then the responses have been coming in, and despite not including SAE’s, a very creditable 234 have been returned (18%).

The questionnaire (attached) sought input in a number of categories and then asked if folk would indicate their Referendum voting intention.

The results of these voting intentions are tabulated below:

  Of those voting

                                                                       %All                % Including   %Excluding
                                                                                               Don’t Know    Don’t Know 

Yes                                         117 returns    50.0%             51.1%             65.7%

No                                            61 returns     26.1%             26.6%             34.3%

Don’t know                            51 returns      21.8%             22.3%

Not voting/can’t vote                5 returns      2.1%

Total                                       234 returns    100%              100%              100%

Mr Thompson said, “ I am delighted that the ‘Yes’ returns are running at almost double the ‘No’ returns. If the Don’t Knows split the same way this points to an overwhelming “Yes” result in the Referendum in Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch.

Even if all the Don’t knows were to vote ‘No’ the result is still a victory for ‘Yes’.

“I have been honoured to represent Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch (not forgetting Dingwall, Loch Ness, Aird and the Black Isle) folk over the past few years.

“This survey result gives me great hope that the next election I will stand in (God willing) will be in 2016 for the first Independent Scottish Parliament in 309 years.

“When I hope the people of Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch will do me the honour of electing me once more.”