AN Aberdeen-based freelance journalist has decided to stand for election to the Scottish Parliament.
Hamish Mackay is to fight for one of seven regional seats in the Highlands and Islands, as a member of the newly-launched Scottish Voice party – founded by millionaire Stirlingshire businessperson, Archie Stirling.
The regional seats are voted for on a proportional representation basis and it gives smaller parties and independents an opportunity to be elected on a six or seven per cent share of the vote. The election is taking place next month.
Mackay, brought up in Sutherland, is a former pupil of Dornoch Academy and a journalism graduate of Central London University.
He began his journalistic career on the Caithness weekly newspapers, the John 0’Groat Journal and Caithness Courier. He spent 25 years with Aberdeen Journals Ltd – latterly, as a senior news executive with The Press and Journal, before launching his own media and PR consultancy, Mackay Media, in 1992.
He is recently best known as the Scottish correspondent for the journalism trade newspaper, Press Gazette.
He was narrowly beaten in the recent battle for rectorship of Aberdeen University – by Scottish Green Party MSP, Robin Harper.
