While everyone takes stock after a General Election campaign that drastically altered the political map of Scotland – if not Orkney and Shetland – there is time during the summer recess to recuperate and refocus.

I was disappointed to see so many SNP MPs lose out across Scotland, and along with them so many dedicated staff lose their jobs. The upheaval of such change is widespread.

But there are lessons to be learned by listening to folk, and why they voted as they did this time round. I will be out and about across the Highlands and Islands in the next couple of months doing just that.

While ensuring that the Tories were removed from government was clearly a key aim of so many voters across the UK, in Scotland the battle of ideas was at least in part about where power should be held.

It is clear, from the colour of the map that emerged in the early hours of Friday, that the SNP’s case that independence was urgently needed to reverse so much of the damage of the Tory chaos and the broken Westminster system did not resonate with enough folk.

The turnout was down across Scotland, but the fact remains that of those that did turn out, a significant number that voted for the SNP in 2019 didn’t do so this time around..

So, when I am travelling around the Highlands and Islands, including a couple of surgeries in Orkney in August, as well as attending the County Show, I will be keen to hear what folk feel the focus should be as the Scottish Government, under new First Minister John Swinney, continues to work hard to create a fairer and more equal country with the powers we have.

While the election result is a clear message around the feeling of voters right now, the SNP’s reason for being is to create an independent Scotland, and we continue to be the political wing of that national grassroots movement to create a normal independent country.

Even in Orkney and Shetland, where Robert Leslie’s vote share dropped as he came second once again, the Greens, another pro-independence party, were third, so there is still a solid core of voters in the Northern Isles that are pro-indy.

Part of that grassroots movement, Believe in Scotland, is due to hold a campaign event in Orkney later in the year. While we need a reset and a rethink, work will continue to build the case for independence by having open and honest debate across the country.

And talking of listening to people, my latest survey of constituents across the Highlands and Islands is still open.

I want to know what is important to folk across the region, not least here in Orkney.

With the SNP now in a minority government and my recent appointment to the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee, there is an opportunity for new issues and policy ideas to be taken forward.

You can find the survey on my Facebook page.

This is a regular column by SNP MSP Emma Roddick. All Highlands and Islands Regional MSPs have been offered the same space in The Orkney News to share their personal views.