The Inverness Courier's live debate aims to put the Highlands front and centre for the next First Minister

Tonight The Inverness Courier will stage a live debate with the three MSPs vying to become the next First Minister of Scotland – Kate Forbes, Ash Regan and Humza Yousaf.

The main reasons we sought to organise this event in Inverness was to put the issues of the Highlands and Moray firmly before whoever will lead the country and to make sure the voice of people in the north of Scotland is not forgotten.

Ahead of the event, we are emphasising to the candidates that this is their opportunity to address the people who will one day enter a voting booth with what they say and do – or fail to do – in mind.

In recent years there is an ever-growing feeling among many Highlanders that their concerns are not being addressed, that legislation designed in the central belt is for the central belt, that too often large infrastructure projects are delivered in the south but do not ever quite arrive up here.

The recently announced failure to dual the A9 by 2025 seemed to exemplify that perception.

In the last two weeks, readers have sent hundreds of questions to us to put to the candidates via email and social media and since then we have gone through each and every single last one of them.

We have managed to whittle them down to those that will be asked tonight, those that will come from those attending and we aim to invite members of the audience to have their say too.

They cover a range of issues but a common strand among those keen to be involved is pointing out a perception that the Highlands and Moray have been bypassed by governments in Edinburgh and London.

To that end, The Inverness Courier debate is not about who leads the SNP – it is about who leads the country and whether Ms Forbes, Ms Regan and Mr Yousaf will do the right thing by the Highlands and Moray.

If you are not able to make it along in person but would like to watch the debate, a live-stream broadcast will be accessible on our website from 7.20pm.

There will also be coverage online and social media, so feel free to comment using #ICdebate

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