Inverness Chamber of Commerce has called on the next UK government to place the Highlands at the heart of the country’s renewable energy transition as the business body outlines its vision for a thriving business community.

The chamber has now added its proposals to the national debate covering a range of measures to realise the region’s ambition to be a leading energy hub in Europe and the UK’s centre for renewable industry and supply.

It calls on the next occupant of No 10, “to fully embrace the Highlands’ position at the centre of this transition and to signal its understanding of our role by relocating part of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero to our region”.

Chiefly it is argued that the Highlands has suffered from years of reduction in our working age population and the energy transition is the key to reversing that trend and ensuring that our region remains viable for future generations.

The CEO of Inverness Chamber Colin Marr said: “We want to make sure our future MP is focused on our business and economic priorities. This will make sure that the critical changes we need for the Highlands take place and so the opportunities that we currently have within reach are not lost to other countries in Europe.

“We need to be bold in our ambitions but to do that we need a Westminster that is listening and has Scotland and the Highlands at the front of their minds."