The Charles Kennedy Lecture 2026

Join us for an inspiring evening honouring the legacy of Charles Kennedy with a thought-provoking lecture for the whole community.

Honouring Charles Kennedy

The Charles Kennedy Lecture 2026 brings our community together to honour the memory of the former Liberal Democrat leader and long-serving Lochaber MP.

This annual event celebrates the love of ideas, debate, and community that Charles Kennedy was renowned for.

Since its inception in 2015, the lecture has been delivered by prominent political figures such as Lord Jim Wallace, Nicola Sturgeon, Alastair Campbell, and Lord David Steel.

This year, we are delighted to welcome former BBC Business Editor Douglas Fraser to deliver the 10th lecture in the series.

Douglas Fraser

Douglas Fraser was Business and Economy Editor of BBC Scotland from 2008 until April this year, working across online, radio and TV. He covered the financial crunch, referendums on independence and Brexit, the economic impact of the Covid pandemic, various sectors of the Scottish economy, public sector finances and government economic policy.

Previously, he was Political Editor at The Herald for five years and had the same role for four years at the Sunday Herald, co-authoring the 'Political Guide to Modern Scotland'. He worked at The Scotsman as Features and Arts Editor, Education Correspondent and as the reporter covering the Highlands and Islands. He returned north in 2022, and now lives on the Black Isle with his wife, Isabel, a Highlander well-known for her radio and TV journalism.

Sponsored by Ferguson Transport & Shipping

Founded in 1959, Ferguson Transport & Shipping is a family-owned and operated business with over 60 years of experience in the haulage industry. Today they are proudly one of the largest independent transport and distribution companies in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland and have strategically located Operation Centres throughout the rest of the UK.

At Ferguson Transport & Shipping they are passionate about what they do and their goal is always to provide a quality service that exceeds customer expectations and deliver innovative and flexible transport solutions that make a positive difference to the businesses they serve.