The paper's priorities are summarised in the Gaelic slogan on its masthead: "An Tir, an Canan 's na Daoine – The Land, the Language, the People".

[2] It is a slogan borrowed from the Highland Land League which, in the late 19th century, fought crucial battles to win security of tenure for crofters.

The paper perceives a fundamental conflict of interest in private landlordism (which persists to the present), and this is reflected in many of the most celebrated stories which it has reported.

[citation needed] The West Highland Free Press has seen a number of notable columnists, including Professor Donald MacLeod, former principal and leading theologian of the Free Church of Scotland College in Edinburgh, Angus Peter Campbell, the award-winning Gaelic writer and award-winning novelist Roger Hutchinson.

The paper's founding editor, Brian Wilson, was also a regular contributor since retiring from politics as a Labour MP and British government minister.

[6] Free speech groups attacked the sacking, while human rights lawyer Aamer Anwar condemned the column as "Islamophobic" lacking in "Jesus's encouragement to 'turn the other cheek'".