McGrigor wants Calcutta Cup-winning captain from Highlands and Islands

Conservative MSP Jamie McGrigor said he hoped the Highlands and Islands might provide a future Calcutta Cup-winning captain.

Mr McGrigor joined Scots rugby coach Frank Hadden and some of his players at Parliament as the 128 year old trophy began its promotional tour of Scotland. There are currently 9,000 rugby players in Scotland, compared with 250,000 in England, and the SRU wants the tour to encourage more young people to take up the game.

Mr McGrigor said he hoped rugby clubs across the Highlands and Islands would get a chance to host one of world sport’s most prestigious trophies.

Jamie McGrigor said “Even when I was playing rugby at school, although not particularly well, the Calcutta Cup had an almost mythical status.

“It was a fantastic achievement for a resurgent Scotland to beat England at Murrayfield in the 6 Nations and I’m looking forward to Scotland retaining the Calcutta Cup at Twickenham next year.

“Taking the Calcutta Cup around Scotland is a fantastic idea and I hope rugby clubs and schools across the Highlands and Islands will try and get the trophy to visit them.

“Perhaps we might even see the Highlands and Islands producing Scottish Calcutta Cup-winning captains of the future”.

From August onwards, the Calcutta Cup will be “given” to the eight managers in the new SRU Rugby Development Structure in the Regions, where they will be responsible for the successful event planning for the Calcutta Cup in each of the 14 regions, to increase the growth of the game in clubs and schools throughout their region. These clubs and schools will be able to pitch for the Cup to visit events within their area.

Tories select Orcadian to fight Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber

Scottish Conservatives in Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber have chosen Orcadian Jamie Halcro Johnston to be their candidate for next May’s Scottish Parliamentary elections.

Jamie was Conservative candidate for Moray at last year’s General Election and regained 2nd place for the Party. He currently works as a Press Officer to Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie McGrigor at Holyrood.

Commenting on his selection, Jamie said “I am delighted to have been selected to fight for Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber.

”I’ll be promoting positive solutions to the problems that face Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, working closely with local organisations to raise issues and holding this Labour and Liberal Democrat Executive to account for their awful record on the Highlands and Islands”.

Scottish Conservative Deputy Leader and Invernessian Murdo Fraser MSP added “Jamie is one of the many outstanding candidates we will have fighting for seats at next May’s election.

“Coming from the region, he has huge personal experience of the problems in the Highlands and Islands, as well as a real determination to address them.

“I’m looking forward to joining Jamie for a few days campaigning when I’m next in Inverness”.

Local Tories choose new chairman

Local Conservatives have chosen a woman to be their new chairman for the first time.

Tracy Thomson, who lives at Greenigoe in Orphir, was chosen by members on Tuesday. She was previously the Election Agent for the Party at last year's General Election.

Speaking after her election, Tracy said: “I am delighted, and deeply honoured, to have been chosen to serve as chairman.

"I will be working hard to continue the growth of the Conservative Association in Orkney and ensure we build on the success the Party is enjoying across the UK at the moment.”

Orkney Conservative president, Morgan Harcus, added: “We are all delighted that Tracy has been elected as chairman. Her election is a fitting reward for all the hard work she has put in previously as Election Agent.”