• Lib Dems write to Badenoch telling her to “come clean” on allegations of made-up academic record
• Kemi Badenoch visit is a timely reminder for Scottish Conservatives to jump ship
• Landslides continue to block A83 in Argyll because of years of SNP dithering
• Greene: No end to ferry nightmare amid fresh delay

Lib Dems write to Badenoch telling her to “come clean” on allegations of made-up academic record

The Liberal Democrats have written to Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, calling on her to come clean over doubts reported in the Guardian over her claim that she was offered a place at the US University Stanford when she was just 16.

Liberal Democrat Education spokesperson Munira Wilson has now written to Badenoch calling on her to “come clean” and give the full story behind these allegations. In her letter, Munira Wilson noted that when commenting on allegations surrounding the Chancellor’s CV Badenoch said that “restoring trust in politics is the great test of our era” and asked that Rachel Reeves “comes clean”.

She said that if Badenoch refused to do so she would “devalue the work” of all those who received their A-levels and GCSEs in the past few weeks.

Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson, Munira Wilson MP said:

After the endless comments she made over Rachel Reeves’ CV, if these allegations prove to be true she will have set a new world record for hypocrisy.

If Kemi Badenoch cares about restoring trust she should start by explaining her own academic record.

Failing to come clean over these allegations would send a message to the thousands of pupils who just received their exam results that their hard work does not matter and that you can just bluff your way to the top.

Kemi Badenoch visit is a timely reminder for Scottish Conservatives to jump ship

Responding to Kemi Badenoch’s visit to Scotland, Liberal Democrat MSP Jamie Greene, who defected from the Conservatives earlier this year, said:

I know that many Conservatives are completely sickened by how desperately low their party has fallen with their climate change denial, stoking up community grievances and ripping up any decency they had left.

Kemi Badenoch’s visit might just be a timely reminder to them that jumping ship, as I did, is the only way out of the sorry mess the Tories have become in Scotland.

Landslides continue to block A83 in Argyll because of years of SNP dithering

Former MP and Scottish Liberal Democrat candidate for Argyll and Bute, Alan Reid has today attacked the SNP’s slow progress in delivering a solution for landslides that have consistently disrupted travel on the A83 in Argyll.

Traffic Scotland announced this morning that another landslide has closed the road, warning that debris was blocking the road in both directions at Butterbridge, in Glen Kinglas.

Drivers have been warned to expect delays, with diversions in place via the A819, A85 and A82.

The need for action to stop landslides blocking the A83 in Glen Kinglas was identified in the “Scottish Road Network Landslides Study” published in 2008. In the following years recommendations were made to tackle this risk, such as forestry planting, a steel barrier, catch ditches or pits and bunds. A little work has been carried out, but this latest landslide shows that not nearly enough has been done.

Alan Reid said:

The A83 is an essential link for both residents and visitors to Argyll.

We’ve had to put up with more than a decade of landslides blocking the road because none of the dozen SNP transport ministers or secretaries that we’ve had in that time have been prepared to tackle Argyll & Bute’s transport problems.

Scottish Liberal Democrats will make addressing the transport needs of our Highland and Island communities a priority, not just dither and delay for another decade. We need to get Argyll & Bute moving again.

Greene: No end to ferry nightmare amid fresh delay

Responding to the news that the delivery date for the MV Isle of Islay has been delayed yet again, Scottish Liberal Democrat transport spokesperson and West Scotland MSP Jamie Greene said:

What is the point in nationalising a shipyard and then snubbing it by awarding contracts overseas, with islanders still facing constant delays?

This entire ferry nightmare has let down islanders, communities and businesses along the west coast, yard workers and taxpayers. They are all casualties of this SNP government’s incompetence.

Only the Scottish Liberal Democrats are doing something about it. We’re encouraging islanders and everyone with a stake in the network to take part in my consultation on ferry services so we can fix this fiasco from the bottom up.