Sitting MP Alistair Carmichael, 39, will defend the Orkney and Shetland seat on behalf of the Liberal Democrats.

Formerly a hotel manager and a solicitor, he grew up in Islay and gained his law degree at Aberdeen University.

He was elected to Parliament in 2001 and is currently Scottish Liberal Democrat spokesman on energy and part of the Lib Dems' home affairs team.

Since being elected, he has been a member of the Scottish Affairs select committee and several all-party groups, including those on fishing, offshore oil and gas and telecommunications, plus a number of standing committees.

Mr Carmichael lives in Firth.

Frank Nairn, of Beauly, is the Conservative Party candidate.

Originally a chartered accountant, he and his wife, Juliet, now welcome visitors to stay on their sheep and deer farm. He is a former area tourist board chairman.

He is the current Highlands and Islands regional chairman for the party, has previously contested two general elections and helped campaign in Orkney and Shetland during the last two Scottish elections.

Mr Nairn says he will campaign to ensure the northern isles make the most of their natural resources and diversity while fighting to overcome the costs and difficulties of geographic remoteness.

Labour's candidate for the Orkney and Shetland seat is Richard Meade, 27, an Edinburgh policy officer for Help the Aged.

He was also the Labour candidate for the last Scottish election, in 2003.

Mr Meade told The Orcadian he believed the approach to national politics had to be different in Orkney and Shetland.

"Many of the issues which the parties will be campaigning on, such as health and education, are devolved to the Scottish Parliament," he said.

The northern isles had more pressing local issues, such as transport.

Mr Meade has a BA Honours in History and Politics and is currently studying for his MSc in Policy Studies.

John Aberdein will stand for election on behalf of the Scottish Socialist Party.

The supply teacher and author earned 11.4 per cent of the vote for the Orkney seat in the Holyrood election in 2003.

He says his campaign will put the case for peace, public services and better pensions, strengthening the primary industries, and community and public ownership of the renewables in a green, independent Scotland.

He will launch the party's local campaign at a public meeting in the Stromness Community Centre on Monday, April 11, at 8pm. He will attend hustings organised by the Shetland branch of the Royal College of Nurses on Thursday, April 1.

Shetland's Brian Nugent, founder member of the Free Scotland Party, which he formed last year, is also that party's candidate for Orkney and Shetland.

Aged 52, Mr Nugent is an information technology lecturer at Shetland College and set up the party at the beginning of 2004.

He was a member of the SNP for 30 years but left in disappointment at that party's policy on the EU.

The Free Scotland Party wants Scotland out of the UK and out of the EU and wants referenda on membership of the EU, the EU constitution and the Euro.

It now has members across Scotland and describes itself as small but growing.

The SNP candidate for the 2005 election is Kirkwall teacher John Mowat, aged 60.

Originally from John O'Groats, he has a chemistry degree from Aberdeen University and is currently principal teacher of chemistry at Kirkwall Grammar School.

John is secretary of the Orkney Norway Friendship Association and chairman of the Kirkwall Kayak Club. He is also secretary of the Orkney Sports Council and Development Group.

He joined the Scottish National Party in 1974 and stood for the Orkney constituency in the 1999 Scottish Parliament elections and for the Orkney and Shetland seat at Westminster in 2001.

Scotty Dyble, of Shetland, is a late entry to the election race, standing on behalf of the UK Independence Party.

He said he had only just decided to put his name forward.

UKIP is committed to withdrawing Britain from the EU, which it believes is bad for Britain's economy and prosperity.

The party says the EU agenda is complete political union, with all the main functions of national government taken over by Brussels. It plans to replace EU membership with agreements on free trade and co-operation.

It also believes Britain should take a firm line on immigration.

Paul Cruickshank is representing the Legalise Cannabis Alliance.

The 30-year-old joiner and handyman, from Peterhead.

He is the former north-east area networker for Greenpeace and is a member of the Friends of the Earth and Amnesty International. He said he had been a supporter of the alliance for several years.

"I think we should be pushing things forward so we can totally utilise the cannabis plant," he said. "It can be used as a medicine and for many other things."