WATCH: Run the Gauntlett - My different approach will get things done says businessman and Liberal Democrat candidate for Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire Angus MacDonald

With days to go before the general election, I took an opportunity to get under the skin of the candidates fighting for our votes. I wanted to look beyond the policies and find out what makes them tick.

• Yesterday we met Drew Hendry of the SNP.

Next on my list was Angus MacDonald, who is the Liberal Democrat Westminster candidate for Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire. Angus certainly isn’t your typical politician, in fact is far from a political background with his expertise being in business.

For over 35 years, Angus has devoted himself to two thriving Highland businesses known as the Highland Cinema and Highland Bookshop in Fort William. The entrepreneur has also served in the army and written a series of novels, so some might say he is the Jack of all trades.

Once again, I headed over the wobbly bridge, across the River Ness with Angus who was confident in his stride. We began discussing the glorious weather, which might seem like a last resort conversation for most folk, however here in the inclement Highlands it was certainly something positive.

Angus, who wore a neat, chequered shirt and rustic watch, wasn’t like any politician I had spoken to before; quite the opposite in fact.

Under the spotlight of the public eye, the Liberal Democrat candidate spoke about what it takes to engage youngsters in politics and trust, tourism and bookable holiday venues.

“Tourism in the Highlands is a big issue, and I should know because my businesses are entirely tourist based,” he said.

“The problem with that is it is a short season, not so much in Inverness itself, but across the Highlands, it is a short season. Our season is from Easter, right through to the end of September, and that’s probably when 90 per cent of the tourist revenue is generated.

“But, our infrastructure is too small, the roads are too small, the medical system is too small. The Isle of Skye gets over a million tourists every year, so it has huge implications, and we don’t have the infrastructure for that.

“Particularly things like campervans which are big and take up all the space on the ferries and there isn’t the capacity on the roads to handle them.”

To stop these recurring tourism issues, Angus suggested moving more upmarket by building ‘better quality hotels and fantastic camping sites’.

He said: “So, rather than the average income, say £40 per night, per visitor, we can increase that, so that means it wouldn’t be the same congestion and yet the income coming into the locals surviving on tourist revenue would be as high.”

After spending years asking the general public questions about politics, and their opinion, I have often found that they either don’t have the knowledge to give an answer on the topic, or they simply don’t trust politicians and therefore don’t care to answer as they don’t feel listened to.

So, I was keen to know how Angus tackles this issue and how he plans to regain trust.

He said: “I have never been a politician, so that’s a good start and hopefully people that know me, especially in the west, will know that I have delivered things that I have talked about as a councillor, and business guy.

“I built the Highland Cinema, the bookshop and the Highland Soap Company, so I have done a lot in Fort William.

“I also haven’t made any commitments. I have basically said that I am a Highlander and I am going to fight for us day-in and day-out, so I think people will just have to trust me to do that as I have a very successful career behind me.”

When talking about how he gets the younger generation involved with politics, Angus said it is through his ‘strong social media presence’ and drop-in sessions at schools talking about entrepreneurship and business that he has formed a connection.

However, in terms of what Angus is keen to achieve, he said: “I think my number one goal would be to bring significant infrastructure spending into the Highlands. Unlike the Scottish National Party, who have really not enjoyed working with ministers, and have a hostile relationship, I will actually be completely the opposite.

“I will walk in, put my arms around their shoulders and say, now how can we work together, which I think is a very different approach.”

The housing crisis is a prominent issue across the UK, which Angus is keen to resolve with initiatives such as businesses providing housing for their staff.

He said: “If you build a care home, and know you need around 40 staff there, then you need to provide accommodation for those 40 staff and that was always the way.

“There was a policeman's house, a teacher's house, a nurse’s house in every village and we got away from that because a lot of those properties were sold, which was a big mistake.

“The same goes for rural Scotland, as we used to have the big hydro board, the Forestry Commission, or the British Aluminium Company. They all provided housing in a major way for workers and that has stopped, so we need to move back to that as it would provide a lot of accommodation.”

Angus recognised that Airbnb-style accommodation has become an issue across the Highlands, as while tourism is massively beneficial to the upkeep of businesses and the local economy, it is a factor in housing challenges.

He said: “It is a real problem, especially in seaside areas like Plockton. I think it’s something like 30 per cent of all properties that are now holiday accommodation.

“That said, there are a lot of people that are now making a bit of a living, which they weren’t before, from having pods or renting out a room, and I think that has made a big difference to the quality of life for people.

“There is now a sort of second home tax that is twice of what the original council tax was, and I think on the face of it, that was a good idea because it makes people think twice before having a second home.

“I think we are at a peak now, and think it will be less of a problem in a year or two.”

With just a few days left before the general election, Angus is busy continuing to speak with the general public, listen to traders' concerns and looking at potential improvements, should he be elected on July 4.