Here is Scottish Leader Alex Cole-Hamilton’s Christmas message. Listen to his summary here.

The full text is below:

This Christmas, there’s certainly a lot to look back on – what a marathon year it has been politically speaking.

Just a few months ago we had a general election, a landmark result that saw people calling time on the twin failures of the Conservatives and the SNP.

For the Liberal Democrats, however, the story was momentous for a different reason. We returned a record-breaking 72 MPs to Westminster, our best election result since the founding of our party. In huge swathes of Scotland, we showed that it was only the Liberal Democrats who could beat the SNP, deliver change and fight for a fairer future.

That fight for a fairer future is so important to us. Even with a new Labour government in charge, it wasn’t long before the cracks started to show. GPs, care homes and small businesses have been clobbered by the government’s national insurance tax. Vulnerable pensioners are worried about heating their homes after the callous removal of the winter fuel payment.

On those issues and many more, Liberal Democrats are using our strengthened position to stand up for what matters. Whether it’s seeing your GP, getting your child the right support at school or ensuring everyone has a safe and secure roof above their heads, my party will be in your corner, holding both our governments to account. “There may only be one sleep until Christmas, but there are also just 500 sleeps to the Scottish election- that’s when we have the chance to get the change Scotland really needs: a change of government.

To all those who will be working today, whether that is in our hospitals, care homes, homeless services and more, I want you to know that my party appreciates everything you do, and we will work tirelessly to support you in the year ahead.

Of course, we all know that Christmas can be an incredibly difficult time. Not everyone is as fortunate to enjoy the security and sanctuary that most of us do in Scotland. This year, my thoughts are with everyone in Syria facing an uncertain future, the brave soldiers of Ukraine and everyone in the middle east desperately seeking a lasting peace.

So, wherever you are in the world this Christmas, whether in Scotland or further afield, I pray that you can find hope, support and love in the company of family, friends and community.

* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings. You can find her on Bluesky at caronmlindsay.bsky.social