Overview

The Scottish Liberal Democrat Party is a centrist party which currently has five MSPs in the Scottish Parliament. After Scottish devolution in 1999, the Scottish Liberal Democrats governed in a coalition with Labour, they are now the joint fourth largest party in Scotland. Whilst the Liberal Democrat Party throughout the UK has always promoted closer relations with the European Union, campaigning for Remain since the Brexit referendum, they are currently campaigning against Scottish independence.

The party is led by Willie Rennie, an MSP for North East Fife since 2016. He has served as an MSP since 2011 and an MP between 2006 and 2010.

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Rebuilding

The Scottish Liberal Democrat Party have stated that education lies at the heart of their plans for recovery from the pandemic.

Environment

The Scottish Liberal Democrats have set a number of environmental targets as part of their election campaign, including:

  • enabling every household to install energy saving technology and zero-emission heating;
  • the restoration of woodland and peatlands;
  • declaring a ​‘nature emergency’ to protect the natural environment;
  • doing away with single-use plastics; and
  • the creation of new national parks.

Addiction

The Scottish Liberal Democrats have confirmed their commitment to treating drug misuse as a health problem rather than a criminal issue if they are elected to government.

Poverty

To tackle poverty in Scotland, the Liberal Democrats aim to:

  • double the Scottish Child Payment;
  • develop a universal basic income system (the full powers to implement this do not currently lie with the Scottish Parliament and would need to be negotiated with the UK Government); 
  • give every 16 to 24 year old access to a job or training; and
  • invest an additional £50m in ending homelessness and rough sleeping.

Justice

On issues of justice, the Liberal Democrats in Scotland aim to increase the influence of communities over the way they are policed as well as establish a cross-party commission to recommend urgent steps to prevent violence against women and girls.