SNP win Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross

Former Lib Dem MP John Thurso pictured at the party's 2004 conference. Picture: PA

Paul Monaghan took the most northerly mainland UK seat with 15,831 votes, beating Lord Thurso by almost 4,000.

Lord Thurso had been the MP since 2001, retaining the seat with a majority of 4,826 at the 2010 poll.

Mr Monaghan said: “This election is about making the voice of this constituence and indeed the whole of Scotland heard more effectively at Westminister than ever before.

“The people of Scotland are speaking across Scotland. It is time for their voice to be heard.”

Lord Thurso had earlier conceded defeat of all three Highland MPs.

He said: “It looks like we are all ex-MPs. I can look forward to more gardening.

“I don’t think anyone will be ordering a case of champagne tonight. It has been an SNP landslide.

“They have sold a product rather than the politics and have made a lot of promises to the people of Scotland and they have to deliver or be held accountable.”

He added: “It would appear that the flame of liberal democracy is flickeringh, but it will not go out.

“There will aways be room for liberalism in this country and I look forward to the day when it burns bright again.”

Dr Paul Monaghan is currently the Director of Highland Homeless Trust, which is a charity that provides specialist housing and support services to vulnerable people.

He is also a Board Member of UHI North Highland College based in Thurso, a director of Inverness MS Therapy Centre, and a director of ‘Food for Families’ based in Invergordon.

He was educated at Inverness Royal Academy and at the University of Stirling where he gained a first class honours degree in Psychology and a Ph.D. in Social Policy. He is a Graduate Member of the British Psychological Society and a Fellow of the Institute of Leadership and Management.

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