John Farquhar Munro stood down as an MSP at the end of the last parliament Monday, 4 April 2011
Senior Lib Dem backs Alex Salmond
John Farquhar Munro stood down as an MSP at the end of the last parliament Veteran Liberal Democrat John Farquhar Munro has backed Alex Salmond for another term as first minister, the SNP has said.
Mr Munro, who has stood down as an MSP, made his comments in a "message of support".
"I am delighted to support Alex Salmond for a second term for first minister of Scotland in the Scottish Parliament," he said.
Mr Munro was elected MSP for Ross, Skye and Inverness West in 1999.
While Mr Munro's comments endorsed Mr Salmond, they stopped short of offering support to the wider SNP.
In the SNP statement, the former crofter, said: "I have known Alex Salmond for several years, and have come to appreciate his political acumen, his debating skills and his devotion to Scotland.
"I consider Alex Salmond is the only one who can lead us through the next session of parliament ensuring a more prosperous and sustainable future, and that is why I'm pleased to support Alex Salmond as the first minister for Scotland in the next parliament."
The statement was released by the SNP after a day of campaigning in the Lib Dems' Highland heartland, where the Nationalists hope to make gains.
Analysis
Born on 26th August 1934, free-spirited John Farquhar Munro was seen as a kind-of unofficial father of the Scottish Parliament.
Elected MSP for Ross, Skye and Inverness West in the Lib Dems' Highland heartland in 1999, local boy Mr Munro has become a well-liked politician both inside and outside the Holyrood bubble.
After a decade as a merchant marine in the 50s, Mr Munro - a classic car enthusiast - went on to become self-employed, working in heavy haulage, as a bus operator, quarrying contractor and crofter.
His unusual frontbench role at Holyrood, speaking on Gaelic issues, was not one held by other parties, but was testament to his unwavering support for the language and Highland culture.
The former councillor campaigned for abolition of the Skye Bridge tolls and, in the second parliament, failed in a bid to require people to opt out of organ donation, a move which was backed by the British Medical Association.
Latterly, he fought against funding cuts for Plockton's traditional music school in his constituency.
He was also one of several Lib Dem MSPs to have openly supported an independence referendum, against the position of the party leadership.
Mr Munro was one of a number of Lib Dems to have openly supported the staging of an independence referendum in the last parliament, against the position of the party leadership.
Mr Salmond said: "John Farquhar Munro is hugely respected and has an outstanding record as a selfless champion of his constituency, the needs of the Highlands and Scotland's interests.
"I greatly value John's opinion. This is a personal endorsement but he speaks for many across the Highlands of Scotland."
The Liberal Democrat election has already suffered a blow after Hugh O'Donnell, the leading candidate in the party's Central Scotland list, quit to stand as an independent.
He claimed the party's founding principles had been "subsumed" by a desire for position and power.
And in another development, the Scottish Lib Dems have been left without a candidate in South Lanarkshire constituency of Clydesdale, after candidate John Paton Day failed to get his papers in on time.
However, he is a candidate on the regional list.
This article is from the BBC News website. � British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-12961012
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