'I don't want to be whipped', says breakaway Ross councillor
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FIVE Highland councillors have formed their own breakaway group to stand up for their communities.
The newly-formed Highland Alliance group is made up of former Liberal Democrat group members Martin Rattray and Drew Millar, Independent nationalist Donnie Kerr and Fort William and Ardnamurchan’s non-aligned Independents, Andrew Baxter and Thomas MacLennan.
The arrangement allows the five members to have a vote and make proposals at committee meetings.
Cromarty Firth councillor Martin Rattray, who broke away from the LibDems four months ago, said the new group was an opportunity to promote the Cromarty Firth’s values and the contributions that the area made to the Highland economy.
"I wanted to be in a group where we all had our own voice," he said.
"I certainly didn’t want to be whipped. I didn’t want to toe the party line. I’m still a member of the LibDems but I just felt it would be difficult to do what I want to do within the present coalition."
He added: "I am very determined that we should not be Inverness-centric. The Cromarty Firth contributes hugely to the economy of the region."
