GRAHAM Leadbitter was elected as the SNP MP for Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey as one of a cohort of nine SNP representatives at Westminster.

The veteran councillor won the north east seat by just over 1000 votes from the Conservatives’ Kathleen Robertson. 

The seat formerly known as Moray was previously held by Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross who was unsuccessful in the Aberdeenshire North and Moray East constituency.

Who is Graham Leadbitter?

Leadbitter has served as an Elgin South councillor for the past 16 years and served as council leader for four years.

He wants to use his “solid grounding and experience” in representing his community at Westminster, he told the Forres Gazette. 

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Before getting into politics, he had a background in the retail and service sector and worked as a constituency office manager for an MP.

What is he interested in?

Leadbitter told the Sunday National earlier this year he wanted to focus on issues like the cost of living crisis and highlighting the lack of public spending from Westminster.

He said: “In areas like Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey, we have serious challenges with the workforce in the hospitality sector and in the care sector.

“That is driven by Brexit – Brexit was an appalling decision that was not what Scotland wanted and it certainly wasn’t what people in this area wanted either and it is having a huge negative impact on people across the region.”