• Greene: Tories too chaotic to stand up to Swinney
• Chamberlain: UK at risk of complicity in war crimes
• Islanders will not be fooled by Swinney in “full on panic mode”

Greene: Tories too chaotic to stand up to Swinney

Scottish Liberal Democrat economy spokesperson Jamie Greene has said the Scottish Tories are “too chaotic” under Russell Findlay’s leadership to stand up to the SNP.

His comments come after Findlay launched his party’s manifesto in Edinburgh.

Mr Greene resigned from the Conservatives in 2025, accusing Findlay and his leadership of pandering to the far-right in his attempts to compete with Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.

Greene, who is contesting the Inverclyde seat for the Scottish Liberal Democrats against Reform leader Malcolm Offord, said that the Tory party is “unrecognisable” in its current direction and said that it had abandoned the common sense, pragmatic, centre-right ground of politics that it gained under former leader Ruth Davidson.

At the upcoming election, voters can choose to reject both the failing SNP and the increasingly right-wing and nasty politics of both the Tories and Reform and by backing the Liberal Democrats.

For the first time in a long time, no matter where they live, voters can use their peach-coloured regional ballot paper to vote for a Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP committed to change with fairness at its heart.

Jamie Greene said:

The Scottish Tories are as unrecognisable to me as they are to many voters. They’ve jettisoned all the sensible and practical ideas and policies they once held under Ruth Davidson’s leadership in favour of chasing the same nasty ground as Nigel Farage.

They are simply too chaotic and irrelevant to effectively hold John Swinney and the SNP to account for their dismal record on education, the economy, transport, and health.

I achieved more in one year in opposition on the Lib Dem benches than I did in nine on the Tory benches, and this manifesto sums up why they’ve nothing positive to stand on in this election.

I’d say directly to former Tory voters, to ditch the right-wing nonsense and help me elect as many Scottish Liberal Democrat MSPs as possible, pushing for change with fairness at its heart.

Chamberlain: UK at risk of complicity in war crimes

Scottish Liberal Democrat deputy leader Wendy Chamberlain MP has today called on Keir Starmer to withdraw US access to UK air bases to prevent Britain becoming an “accomplice to war crimes.”

It comes following President Trump and US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth’s threats to carry out mass bombing of civilian infrastructure in Iran, with Trump stating that “a whole civilisation will die tonight,” if Iran and the US fail to reach an agreement before the deadline.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey, Ms Chamberlain Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Calum Miller, and 55 fellow Liberal Democrat MPs have called on Keir Starmer to urgently withdraw the access granted to US planes to use UK bases, and to make a statement on how the UK will continue to work with other allies to ensure protection for our citizens, interests and allies.

In the letter, they add that if the Government refuses to act, they must at the very least formally clarify and publish the conditions placed on the US for use of our bases to ensure it is only defensive, commit to monitoring the outcome of all sorties and report these to Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee.

Scottish Liberal Democrat deputy leader Wendy Chamberlain said:

President Trump’s bloodthirsty threats to target civilian infrastructure in Iran signal a clear intent to breach international law. The UK Government needs to take care; by continuing to grant the US access to our airbases, the Prime Minister risks making the United Kingdom an accomplice to war crimes.

The Liberal Democrats are calling for the immediate withdrawal of consent for the US to use British bases like Prestwick and Lossiemouth. We cannot allow British soil to be used as a platform for illegal military action.

If the Government refuses to act, they must at the very least publish the strict conditions permitting this access to ensure it is only defensive, commit to monitoring every action and report their findings to Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee.

Islanders will not be fooled by Swinney in “full on panic mode”

Responding to John Swinney’s announcement of a package of support for Scotland’s islands, Scottish Liberal Democrat candidate for Argyll and Bute, Alan Reid, said:

This is John Swinney in full on panic mode.

I have spent the past four days on Mull and Iona talking to voters and they are furious about their ferries being out of action time and time again.

John Swinney has had almost two decades to deliver for coastal and island communities. Making promises in the 11th hour of the 19th year of SNP government will not convince anyone.

This week has delivered the first poll showing Scottish Liberal Democrats ahead of the SNP in Argyll & Bute. I suspect their doorknockers will be discovering similar things in Shetland, in the Western Isles and up and down the West Coast.

From launching vessels with painted on windows, failing to deal with cancellations, and putting in place an inadequate compensation scheme, the Scottish Government has shown it cannot be trusted with this essential transport infrastructure.

With our plan for a rolling replacement plan for Scotland’s ferries, Scottish Liberal Democrats will deliver change with fairness at its heart and end the SNP’s ferry fiasco.