FIRST MINISTER Nicola Sturgeon has announced Stranraer as the location for the next biennial Scottish Rural Parliament, this November.

The event looks to bring in around 400 rural community participants and will take place over three days on November 14 to16 in Dumfries and Galloway, with ‘rural policy post-Brexit’ and ‘taking action’, as the key issues up for discussion.

Ms Sturgeon on the announcement: “It is important people have a say in decisions affecting them, and the Rural Parliament is an important part of that process, allowing rural communities from across Scotland to discuss and agree priority areas for development and local democracy.

“The Rural Parliament coming to Stranraer is a fantastic opportunity for the area to showcase its strengths and share ideas and good practice across Scotland’s communities.”

South of Scotland MSP Colin Smyth, who is also the shadow cabinet secretary for rural economy and connectivity, welcomed the announcement to bring the Rural Parliament into the area and said that it would give local people the opportunity to highlight the issues facing the region, in particular Wigtownshire.

Mr Smyth said: “Too often when people talk about rural Scotland they look north, and the south of Scotland is forgotten. This will be the first time the Rural Parliament will have met in the south and the decision to come to Stranraer will be a good opportunity to highlight the area to delegates from out with the region and discuss the huge challenges we face. Well done to the local liaison group who put forward the successful bid to bring the event in Stranraer."