Author Archives: Ross Finnie

Opinion: All Liberal Democrats must campaign for a Federal UK

By Ross Finnie | Wed 21st March 2012 - 11:53 am

I have always supported Home Rule, involving a new constitutional settlement giving equal status to England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and thereafter each nation would promote what each considered to be the most appropriate governance arrangements within a federal state. For Scotland that meant not just the establishment of a Scottish Parliament but the transfer of the maximum amount of legislative, administrative and financial powers consonant with being a nation within a federal state.

Like most Scottish Liberals, I supported the Party’s policy position as set out in Jenny Robinson’s 1976 pamphlet: Scottish Self-Government. I was one of the overwhelming …

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged fiscal federalism and home rule | 12 Comments

Ross Finnie: why I want to be Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats

By Ross Finnie | Fri 1st August 2008 - 2:21 pm

I want to be Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats because I believe I have the ability to drive the Party forward by making Liberal Democrat values and policies relevant to the people of Scotland.

At present I believe our message has become blurred and lacks a distinctive Liberal Democrat edge. We lack a political narrative that brings clarity and cohesion to our political projection.

I want us to concentrate on three themes:-

We must become regarded as the Party that stands up for individual freedom – not only human rights and civil liberties but also freedom from poor education, poor health, poverty …