‘All Under One Banner’ march in Elgin sparks Highland businessman’s Holyrood election bid announcement

Highland businessman Steve Chisholm has announced his intent to stand for the ALBA Party at the next Holyrood election in 2026.

Mr Chisholm, who made the announcement to coincide with a pro-independence march by campaign group ‘All Under One Banner’ in Elgin on Saturday, is the operations and innovation director at Global Energy Group.

He has previously stood for the party before - having recently failed in his bid to win the Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross constituency in last month’s General Election.

Speaking at the 'All Under One Banner' Independence march in Elgin this afternoon he argued that the Highland Manifesto put forward by the ALBA Party, which is led by former First Minister Alex Salmond, put forward a "bold vision" for the region.

Commenting he said: "The Highland Manifesto is the first of its kind for any political party in this country.

"It is not merely a collection of policies; it is a declaration of our commitment to securing a brighter, more equitable future for our communities.

"No one understands our needs better than those who live and work here.

“That is why I am delighted to confirm here today that I will be seeking nomination to stand for the ALBA Party at the 2026 Scottish Parliamentary elections and I’m sure many others across the Highlands and North-East will be stepping forward to carry the ALBA standard alongside me.”

Mr Chisholm took aim at the newly elected Labour Government saying that they “have shown they are simply delivering more of the same” after the Government announced that they were scrapping the Winter Fuel Payment for millions of pensioners, adding “Austerity is going nowhere”

He argued that the levels of fuel poverty in the Highlands make the case for Independence saying: “[The Highlands] is emerging as the beating heart of a new renewable energy industry.

"The number of pensioners and families living in fuel poverty and extreme fuel poverty is proportionally higher here than anywhere else in the country.

"It is simply perverse that we have fuel-poor Scots in an energy-rich Scotland.

“Nothing, absolutely nothing, makes the case for Scottish Independence more than the energy crisis.”