Fergus Ewing isn't the SNP's only problem in the Highlands

There is a threat looming to the SNP’s dominance in the Highlands and it is more than just Fergus Ewing.

The veteran MSPs exit from the SNP has been a long time coming but the political ramifications could be wide-ranging for his former party.

Mr Ewing is a popular figure in his Inverness and Nairn constituency. There is no doubt he poses a risk to the SNP ahead of next year’s Holyrood election.

But across the region, the SNP faces significant challenges in three seats.

The Lib Dems have already made it clear they are coming for Kate Forbes’s seat in Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch.

It will be a tough one for them to win given Ms Forbes holds a majority of 15,681.

And yet, Angus MacDonald, the Lib Dem MP for Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire, told The Herald his party is confident.

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At a local level, the SNP has struggled, losing by-elections to independents last week in Skye and Cromarty Firth.

Mr MacDonald, who said he is a friend of Forbes, described the contest was “very touch and go”.

He added: “Kate has got a really big majority and a really big personal support but I think a lot of people have decided that the SNP have not done a particularly good job running the country and so they might as a movement, move away from the SNP.

“That’s the battle she has got.”

In Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, the SNP’s Maree Todd beat the Lib Dems with just over 2,500 voters – the narrowest victory in the Highlands in 2021.

In Inverness and Nairn, Ewing won with 31,793 votes in the last election, more than 9,000 above the Scottish Tories on 12,679.

The Lib Dems placed fourth here, behind Scottish Labour.

But with a rivalry developing between the SNP and Mr Ewing in this seat the Lib Dems are looking to the constituency for opportunity.

Emma Roddick, elected on the Highlands and Islands regional list, has been selected to run against Mr Ewing.

Mr MacDonald told The Herald: “With Fergus standing as an independent, you now have a three-way split between the SNP, the independent candidate who has a huge support, and the Lib Dems.”

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He said that becomes another “winnable” seat for the Lib Dems.

With Mr Ewing stating the SNP plan to throw all of their resources into beating him next year, a real opportunity is unlocked for the Lib Dems.

If the SNP are worried, they're not saying so. 

“We look forward to championing our positive vision for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Inverness and Nairn, and all of Scotland ahead of the election next year,” the party said.

It may seem unlikely but it would be wrong to count the Lib Dems out given recent election results for the SNP.