Category Archives: News

And that’s a wrap – thanks everyone!

By The Voice | Thu 7th May 2026 - 10:00 pm

Millions of steps taken, thousands of doors knocked on and phone calls made. There will be a lot of very tired Lib Dems this evening.

Many of us will have to wait till tomorrow to know the results. Only a few areas are counting tonight and we’ll round up those results in the morning.

Alex Cole-Hamilton has said a big thank you to the teams who have been out across Scotland today:

As polls close I would like to thank all of the Scottish Liberal Democrat candidates and activists who have worked so hard to deliver a positive and energetic campaign from

…

Ed Davey: Lib Dems are here to empower people

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 6th May 2026 - 10:30 pm

Ed Davey has been giving interviews ahead of tomorrow’s local elections:

He spoke to Cathy Newman tonight. She asked him whether he got exhausted as a carer and if it all got too much. He said that he and his wife Emily wanted to use their privileged position to fight for carers. He said that Liberal Democrats were all about empowering people.

Watch here:

Liberal Democrats believe in empowering people: whether it’s carers who feel exhausted and unheard, families struggling to get support, or communities failed by water companies.

It’s why we’ll continue to stand up to Nigel Farage as he tries to import Trump-style politics here.

— Ed Davey (@eddavey.libdems.org.uk) May 6, 2026 at 5:03 PM

In an interview with the Guardian, he said tht the Lib Dems were the best placed to stop Reform:

Davey said the Lib Dems were a better bet than the Greens, adding: “We are finding that when people realise the choice is us or Reform, lots of people who were even thinking of voting Conservative were coming to us, certainly Labour and Green are coming to us. Tactical voting will be key, Reform is working really hard, spending lots of their money, meaning results will be on a knife edge.”

He said that in parts of the north of England polling showed a straight fight between the Lib Dems and Reform, including Stockport and Hull, and that areas such as Portsmouth in the south should consider voting Lib Dem to stop Reform. “I am determined we stop them now,” he said.

A lack of opposition to Donald Trump and weakness over the war in Iran had hurt the chances of Reform and the Conservatives, he said, adding that it was a mistake for the Tory leader, Kemi Badenoch, to have tacked so hard to the right.

“When you talk to that traditional one-nation, pro-Europe liberal Tory, they are pretty upset with Kemi Badenoch; they feel the Conservative party has left them,” he said. “They look at us and see us standing up for Britain against Trump’s bullying, they like what we are saying on the economy and defence, and they feel more comfortable with us.”

Here’s a reminder of this year’s local elections Party Election Broadcast:

Tagged 2026 local elections | 3 Comments

ALDC by-election report, 30th April

By Liam Yip | Fri 1st May 2026 - 1:03 pm

This week marks the last by-election of the 2025-26 electoral cycle, and this takes us to the small Worcestershire town of Tenbury Wells.

Malvern Hills DC, Tenbury

This week’s by-election was triggered by the resignation of Conservative councillor Andrew Willmont. He came second in this two-member seat in 2023, significantly ahead of his Conservative running-mate, representing Tenbury alongside a Malvern Hills Independent, who topped the polls.

Turnout rose 7.5% in this by-election compared to the 2023 all-ups, with Reform coming out on top, from a standing start. The Conservatives slipped to a distant second place, whilst us and the Greens were even further behind, in third and fourth respectively.

Thank you to Jed Marson and the local team for flying the Lib Dem flag.

Reform UK: 687 (45.1%, new)
Conservative: 461 (30.3%. -20.2)
Liberal Democrats (Jed Marson): 193 (12.7%, new)
Green Party: 182 (12.0%, new)

Reform UK GAIN from Conservative

Turnout: 40.5%

Thank you to all of our candidates, agents, and campaign teams. A full summary of these results, and all other principal council by-elections, can be found on the ALDC by-elections page here.

Tagged aldc local government by-elections | 5 Comments

Our health system is cutting healthy life expectancy. Why isn’t everyone furious?

By Tom Reeve | Mon 27th April 2026 - 1:51 pm

The Health Foundation published a report yesterday that should stop all Lib Dems in our tracks.

Healthy life expectancy in the UK has fallen by over two years over the past decade. The average person can now expect to live in good health only until they are just under 61. We are ranked 20th out of 21 comparable wealthy nations. Only the United States is worse. In more than nine out of ten areas of the country, people cannot expect to be healthy enough to work until the state pension age of 66 or 67. In one in ten areas, …

Tagged health inequality | 13 Comments

ALDC by-election report, 23rd April

By Joe Nutt | Fri 24th April 2026 - 4:19 pm

There were two principal council by-elections this week, both of which had a Liberal Democrat candidate on the ballot.

Salford City Council, Barton & Winton

The first by-election of the week took place on Wednesday in Salford. It was triggered by the sad passing of former Labour councillor David Lancaster MBE, who was widely regarded as England’s longest-serving councillor after six decades of service. There was significant controversy surrounding the timing of the contest, with Reform UK forcing the by-election despite local elections being scheduled for Salford in just two weeks’ time.

Turnout is generally low in Barton & Winton, and across Salford, but it was particularly poor on Wednesday at just 17.82%. Reform narrowly beat Labour by 33 votes in this long-term “Red Wall” ward. Labour also found themselves outflanked on the left by the Greens, part of a pincer movement that is becoming an increasingly common feature of the current political landscape.

This has never been a strong area for the Liberal Democrats, but a massive thanks to Antony Duke for standing and ensuring local residents had the choice to vote Lib Dem.

Reform UK 676 – 34.9% (new)
Labour 643 – 33.2% (-29.1)
Green Party 363 – 18.7% (+4.0)
Conservatives 118 – 6.1% (-8.2)
Liberal Democrats 94 – 4.9% (-3.8 )
Independent 44 – 2.3% (new)

Reform UK GAIN from Labour

Turnout: 17.82%

Tagged aldc local government by-elections | 22 Comments

This week in the Lords – 20-24 April 2026

By Mark Valladares | Mon 20th April 2026 - 3:46 pm

With the progation of Parliament approaching fast, it’s something of a “hanging around” week for those on the red benches, waiting for the Commons to respond to Lords amendments, either by rejecting them outright, accepting them in part, or negotiating a settlement. You can never be entirely certain how it might all work out, and with the Government distracted by events elsewhere…

Bills

As it was last week, the week is dominated by “ping pong”, starting on Monday with what is described as “consideration of Commons amendment and/or reasons” on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill and the Pension Schemes Bill. Will the Lords press their amendments? Does the Salisbury Convention apply? We can only wait and see…

Tuesday is a day for Orders, with a curiosity being the Draft Ministerial and other Salaries Act 1975 (Amendment) Order 2026, which seeks to make good an error in calculating Ministerial and other salaries. The Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee takes up the story with its usual dry humour…

The Cabinet Office says the issue was identified when calculating entitled salary increases for 2023/24 and that work “immediately began to find a suitable way to address it”. It added that this was a “complex and technical issue that took time to work through”, particularly due to challenges in tracing historic paper records and applying the formula using historic Permanent Secretary pay. Nevertheless, we are surprised that it took three years to address the issue and that the nature of the problem—the law not being followed correctly and people being paid the wrong sums of money—did not result in the Cabinet Office taking steps to resolve it sooner.

More ping pong on Wednesday, with the Crime and Policing Bill and, potentially, the Pension Schemes Bill, facing further scrutiny from Peers.

It’s the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill on Thursday, with a second day set aside for the Victims and Courts Bill if needed.

And, to wrap up the week, Friday sees further debate on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. It’s probably the last day of debate before the Bill formally runs into the sands. I’ve said all that I really can on this but can only repeat how much I regret the lack of a resolution.

Also posted in Parliament | Tagged angie harris, Joan Walmsley, malcolm bruce, shaffaq mohammed and william wallace | Leave a comment

18-19 April 2026 – the weekend’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Sun 19th April 2026 - 11:42 pm

Cole-Hamilton urges voters to postal vote for Scot Lib Dems on peach ballot paper
Cut the rural cost of living and help farmers to flourish
Reid hits out as ministers drop fines for poor ferry performance

Cole-Hamilton urges voters to postal vote for Scot Lib Dems on peach ballot paper

Alex Cole-Hamilton has today used a visit to a climbing wall in Edinburgh to urge voters voting by post to reach for the Scottish Liberal Democrats on the peach regional ballot paper, saying that more Scottish Liberal Democrat MSPs will get more good things done in the next session of Parliament.

At the event, he highlighted his party’s record of achievements over the past five years which included:

£178m to support businesses through rates relief, including a package over 3 years to help licensed premises like pubs, restaurants, hotels, music venues, licensed clubs and night clubs – linchpins of the high street that have suffered in the cost of living crisis and deserve better. There was also £4m for self-catering businesses to cap their increases and provide a bridge to the next revaluation.
£70m for colleges – equivalent to a 10% uplift on last year’s budget.
£20m for social care so providers have the funding they need to lift workers’ pay to the Real Living Wage.
£9.4m for hospices to help them attract and retain staff by mirroring NHS pay rates.
£5m more for the Investing in Communities Fund, keeping open projects, services and activities in disadvantaged communities.
£7.5m to speed up autism and ADHD assessments.
£2.5m to back young entrepreneurs.
£7.1m for islands-specific investment, with money to remove peak ferry fares and a commitment to kickstart a new accelerator model.
Facilities to help new mums and babies born addicted to drugs
Cash for flood-stricken families and businesses in Fife when the government initially turned its back.
Suzanne’s Law and Michelle’s Law, strengthening the rights of victims and their families.
Specialist support for long Covid, ME and chronic fatigue.
A future for Corseford College for young people with complex needs.
Money restored to the housing budget after it was cut by the Greens and SNP.
The right for family carers to earn more without being penalised.
Work restarted on Edinburgh’s Eye Hospital and the Belford in Fort William.

Also posted in Press releases and Scotland | Tagged alan reid, Alex Cole-Hamilton, farming, ferry service, manifesto and wendy chamberlain | Leave a comment

Scottish Liberal Democrats launch manifesto focused on health, cost of living, transport and education

By Mark Valladares | Sat 18th April 2026 - 7:30 am

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has launched his party’s manifesto focused on the issues that matter most to people right now, and made a plea to voters to back his party on the peach regional ballot to deliver change with fairness at its heart.

The manifesto can be found here.

Speaking at the Edinburgh Food & Drink Academy where he baked peach tarts for journalists, Mr Cole-Hamilton set out the party’s ten target constituency seats which would enable it to block the SNP from winning a parliamentary majority as well as the party’s four key priorities for the election:

Delivering first-rate health care by embedding 900 new multidisciplinary patient-facing staff like nurses, physios and mental health professionals in GP practices and investing £400m into care over the next three years in order to fix the NHS.
Helping you with the cost of living by insulating cold homes with an emergency £100m insulation programme, using Scottish renewable energy to drive down household bills and increasing support for unpaid carers by £400 a year.
Getting Scotland moving again – by driving progress on major projects such as dualling the A9 and tunnels for Shetland, passing a Ferries Bill that will end the SNP’s ferries fiasco for good and making £12m available immediately to compensate islanders and coastal communities.
Getting Scottish education back to its best by hiring 2,000 more pupil support assistants and banning phones from schools.

Speaking at the launch, Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

Scotland has so much going for it but right now, it feels like our country simply isn’t working.

Household bills are soaring. There are long waits to see your GP. The SNP’s ferries fiasco is a national embarrassment and Scottish education just isn’t what it used to be.

We know you feel let down by the other parties. We think Scotland deserves better than this. But it needs to be change with fairness at its heart.

We believe in fairness for everyone, no matter who you are or where you come from. That’s why we have a realistic plan to get things done, focused on the things that matter most like access to healthcare and the cost of living.

Let me be straight with you. You have two votes. In many constituencies we are on the verge of winning against the SNP but wherever you are, every vote for the Scottish Liberal Democrats on the second peach ballot will deliver change with fairness at its heart.

Scotland deserves better. And with the Scottish Liberal Democrats, you can vote for it.

On tackling the challenges facing health and care he said:

We will get you faster access to GPs and more local staff, driving early diagnosis and bringing down waits, and getting people back to work. It will be the equivalent of giving every GP practice the benefit of an additional member of clinical staff.

We will rejuvenate local healthcare facilities and introduce a new Fair Deal for Rural Healthcare. We will roll out a national lung cancer screening programme, recruit and retain more NHS dentists, create walk-in mental health services, and our 10-year workforce plan for the NHS and care will take the pressure off overwhelmed services and get the right staff in the right place.

You can’t fix the NHS unless you fix care – not with 2,000 people a night stuck in hospital when they don’t need or want to be there, costing the NHS over a million pounds a day. That’s why we will reward care workers with a new career ladder and halve the problem of delayed discharge by investing £400m into care over the next three years. We will increase the Carer Support Payment by over £400 a year for unpaid carers, and give every young carer someone who they can turn to for help balancing learning, life and caring for their loved one.

That is how we deliver first-rate health and care services.

Also posted in Press releases and Scotland | Tagged 2026 scottish parliament elections, Alex Cole-Hamilton and liberal democrat manifesto | Leave a comment

ALDC by-election report, 16th April

By Joe Nutt | Fri 17th April 2026 - 3:42 pm

There were two principal council by-elections this week, both of which had a Liberal Democrat candidate on the ballot.

Northumberland Council, Cramlington South West

The Conservatives have gained the seat of Cramlington South West from Reform UK, who only won it themselves in last year’s local elections. But the incumbent councillor had to step down owing to illness. The seat was newly created in 2025. Generally, the Conservatives tend to do quite well in Cramlington, though in this specific seat they finished third behind Reform and Labour last year, while the Liberal Democrats did not put forward a candidate.

This result, alongside Reform’s loss in Kent last week and their reduced majority in the second of this week’s by-elections, may point to a possible “retention problem” for the party. While they finish top of the leaderboard both in terms of gains in by-elections and overall by-election wins since the 2025 locals, they finish third on seats successfully defended, only being able to hold onto less than half at 47%. For context, the Liberal Democrat retention rate over the same period is 80%. It could point to a problem that voters generally seem less enthusiastic about letting Reform back in again once they’ve tried them.

A huge thanks to Nick Cott for ensuring there was a Liberal Democrat option on the ballot paper this time.

Conservatives: 278 – 34.2% (+9.0)

Reform UK: 212 – 26.0% (-13.6)

Labour: 187 – 23.0% (-5.8

Green: 116 – 14.3% (New)

Independent: 13 – 1.6% (New)

Liberal Democrat: 7 – 0.9% (New)

Conservative GAIN from Reform UK

Turnout: 26.88%

Tagged aldc local government by-elections | 6 Comments

15 April 2026 – the glitch-affected press releases (part 2)

By Mark Valladares | Thu 16th April 2026 - 11:45 pm

SNP candidate laughed at for education comments

Responding to SNP candidate Deirdre Brock’s comments on education at a hustings on Wednesday night, Scottish Liberal Democrat Edinburgh and Lothians East list candidate Jane Alliston Pickard said:

It was utterly bizarre to see a wannabe parliamentarian declare that basic skills are no longer needed.

People in the room were literally laughing at her.

Then again, when your only real goal is pushing SNP plans for breaking up the UK, perhaps it helps to have kids who are mathematically illiterate.

Education can be transformational but under the SNP Scotland is no longer the best in the world. Scottish

…

Also posted in Press releases, Scotland and Wales | Tagged access to work, david chadwick, jane alliston pickard and snp | Leave a comment

13-15 April 2026 – the glitch-affected press releases (part 1)

By Mark Valladares | Thu 16th April 2026 - 11:25 pm

With apologies to all, as it seems as though my primary e-mail account has decided to glitch, only accepting some but not all e-mails directed to it… here are some press releases that have been issued over the past few days that we missed…

Legislate to make schools smartphone free, says Cole-Hamilton
Scot Lib Dems comment on Green manifesto launch
Scottish Lib Dems launch plans to revive high streets
Scot Lib Dems warn of “farming fuel crisis” as red diesel prices soar

Legislate to make schools smartphone free, says Cole-Hamilton

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has today set out how his party will legislate to make schools smartphone-free environments, as part of its plan to get Scottish education back to its best.

The party’s manifesto, to be published later this week, will enshrine the right of children to learn, and teachers to teach, by making every school a smartphone-free environment.

Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

Education is the best investment we can make in our children’s potential and our country’s future.

But after 19 years of the SNP, Scottish education just isn’t what it used to be. Every week I meet families worried that their child’s additional support needs aren’t being met, worried their teenager is frequently absent or worried about the violence in their schools. Fights and bullying are captured on phones and spread like wildfire. Our children deserve better.

Scottish Liberal Democrats will legislate to make schools smartphone-free environments, so children can learn and teachers can teach. We need to make the cultural change that this requires – it’s just not fair to leave this up to headteachers and ministerial guidance any longer.

Studies show the link between problematic smartphone use, poor mental health and poor sleep amongst teens. Phones are a distraction, apps are built to be addictive and there are relentless notifications. The classroom ought to offer a break to our young people from all of that – a bit of peace and quiet to learn, to focus, and properly connect with classmates and teachers.

That’s why making schools smartphone free is an essential part of the Scottish Liberal Democrats’ plan to get Scottish education back to its best.

Scot Lib Dems comment on Green manifesto launch

Responding to the Scottish Greens manifesto launch, Scottish Liberal Democrat campaign chair Wendy Chamberlain said:

The Scottish Greens came very close to promising every voter a free puppy. There were so many freebies on show that it blew any hope of credibility.

In government the Greens were responsible for wasting millions on a bottle deposit scheme that fell apart, cut £200m from the housing budget in the middle of a housing crisis and pushing plans for marine areas that would have cost coastal communities their livelihoods.

Unless you want a repeat of the Green tail wagging the SNP dog you should vote for Scottish Liberal Democrats on your peach regional ballot. We will deliver change with fairness at its heart, after years of SNP-Green neglect.

Scottish Lib Dems launch plans to revive high streets

Scottish Liberal Democrat economy spokesperson Jamie Greene has today set out his party’s plans to support Scottish high streets, as he pledged to review vape shops, improve public transport and explore a new system of business rates.

After successfully securing £178 million for the year ahead to help businesses with crushing rates rises, Scottish Liberal Democrats are now setting out a series of measures to get high streets thriving.

Also posted in Press releases and Scotland | Tagged Alex Cole-Hamilton, claire mclaren, farming, high streets, jamie greene, red diesel, scottish greens, smartphones and wendy chamberlain | 4 Comments

16 April 2026 – the press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 16th April 2026 - 11:05 pm

Chamberlain: Peach ballot key to holding SNP to account on secrecy and broken promises
Vote to cut the cost of living urges Scot Lib Dem leader
Scottish Lib Dems lay out manifesto plans to tackle violence against women
Greene: Tory downfall due to Findlay and Badenoch’s leadership

Chamberlain: Peach ballot key to holding SNP to account on secrecy and broken promises

Speaking ahead of the SNP’s manifesto launch, Scottish Liberal Democrat deputy leader and campaign chair Wendy Chamberlain MP has urged Scots to use their peach ballot paper to …

Also posted in Press releases and Scotland | Tagged Alex Cole-Hamilton, cost of living, ending violence against women and girls, jamie greene, manifesto, scottish conservatives and wendy chamberlain | 1 Comment

14-15 April 2016 – the press releases

By Mark Valladares | Wed 15th April 2026 - 11:05 pm

Scot Lib Dems comment on Nigel Farage’s visit to Shetland
Abysmal A&E figures show SNP need to be removed from government

Scot Lib Dems comment on Nigel Farage’s visit to Shetland

Commenting on Nigel Farage’s flying visit to Shetland, Emma Macdonald Scottish Liberal Democrat candidate said:

Nigel Farage is welcome to visit Shetland the same as any tourist, but folk here will judge him on what he’s actually done for our islands.

Farage was on the fisheries committee in Brussels for years and barely made an appearance – then when there was a big debate on the fishing industry in the UK Parliament, led by

…

Also posted in Press releases and Scotland | Tagged accident and emergency, Alex Cole-Hamilton, emma macdonald and reform uk | Leave a comment

Nick Clegg to give Charles Kennedy Memorial Lecture – how to watch

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 15th April 2026 - 9:52 am

Next Tuesday, 21st April, at the National Liberal Club, Nick Clegg will give the Charles Kennedy Memorial Lecture on the future of Europe organised by The European Movement UK, in association with the National Liberal Club European Forum and Liberal International (BG).

Charles was a lifelong committed European, and Nick started his career working for Leon Brittain when he was an EU Trade Commissioner and was then an MEP.

With the global environment changing beyond recognition, it’s never been more important to think about how Europe can work together and Nick’s contribution to this will be incredibly …

Tagged charles kennedy and national liberal club | Leave a comment

Ed Davey: Hillary Clinton told me to “stand up to bullies” like Reform UK

By The Voice | Tue 14th April 2026 - 4:19 pm

Embed from Getty Images

2 Comments

Greene: Offord must tell Scots if he’ll risk free prescriptions

By The Voice | Mon 13th April 2026 - 11:10 pm

Scottish Liberal Democrat candidate for Inverclyde, Jamie Greene, has called for Reform UK’s Malcom Offord to come clean on whether he would make Scots pay for medicine.

In 2025, Lord Offord wrote in a Centre for Policy Studies paper that “dialogue” was needed on making people in Scotland pay prescription charges.

Mr Greene claimed that it was Offord’s responsibility to tell the Scottish people exactly what the consequences of voting for Reform UK would be for hard-pressed Scots.

Reform’s UK boss Nigel Farage has a history of flirting with NHS charging and privatisation, once advocating that the health service moves …

Also posted in Press releases and Scotland | Tagged jamie greene, NHS and reform uk | 2 Comments

Is Football losing its head?

By Jean-François Burford | Mon 13th April 2026 - 1:06 pm

English football likes to think of itself as the most competitive, compelling league system in the world. And in many ways, the Premier League still delivers on that promise every weekend. But financially, the game is drifting into something far less credible: a system where losses are disguised, rules are gamed, and profit increasingly exists only on paper.

The rise of intragroup sales is not a clever innovation. It is a symptom of a broken model. When clubs such as Newcastle United or Chelsea can transform massive losses into tidy profits by selling assets to companies owned by the same people, …

Tagged football reform | 12 Comments

11-12 April 2026 – the weekend’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Sun 12th April 2026 - 10:30 pm

Scot Lib Dems set out plans to improve childcare for working families
Scottish Lib Dems will fix NHS staffing as almost all GPs retiring early

Scot Lib Dems set out plans to improve childcare for working families

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has today used a visit to a sports club in the Lothians to set out how his party will give parents more choice and help juggling work and family through funded early learning and childcare.

Scottish Liberal Democrats would ensure families can access flexible, affordable and fair early learning and childcare (ELC). As well as protecting the existing entitlements and ensuring …

Also posted in Press releases and Scotland | Tagged Alex Cole-Hamilton, childcare and GP shortage | Leave a comment

Wendy Chamberlain to run London Marathon

By The Voice | Sun 12th April 2026 - 2:15 pm

It says something about Wendy Chamberlain’s capacity for hard work that in amongst being Chief Whip, an energetic constituency MP, and running the Scottish elections that she’s going to be running the London Marathon two weeks today.

Here she is talking to Radio 5 Live about it this week:

Obviously we wish Wendy all the best in her endeavour, but we should all really put our money where our mouths are too. Wendy is using her run as an opportunity to raise money for two charities very close to her heart.

Wendy has been raising the issue of PANS PANDAS ever since a constituent came to her not long after she was elected. Donate here.

PANS PANDAS UK is a charity that was established by a dedicated group of parents with children that are affected by these conditions who were determined to make a difference to how these conditions are understood by both the general public and the medical profession.

I came across the conditions during my constituency work when I was contacted by a family who were struggling to support their daughter and navigating health and education challenges. I became a member of the All Party Parliamentary Group for PANS PANDAs and led a debate in Parliament. Following the General Election in 2024 I secured a meeting for the charity with the relevant health minister.

Support for PANS PANDAS remains very patchy with families often dependent on having a supportive GP who is willing to consider the conditions as the cause of the very distressing symptoms that include OCD, tics, restrictive eating behaviours, anxiety and enuresis. The money raised from my maraton efforts will be used to support further research.

And we know from her Carer’s Leave Act how much supporting carers means to her. She is also raising money for Fife Carers’ Centre. Donate here.

Tagged featured, london marathon and wendy chamberlain | Leave a comment

Ed Davey on Kuennsberg to talk about “Trump’s idiotic war” and need to act on food security

By Caron Lindsay | Sun 12th April 2026 - 12:15 pm

Ed Davey was interviewed by Victoria Derbyshire who was sitting in for Laura Kuennsberg this morning. He wanted to talk about our plan to ensure food security by giving a billion to England’s farmers and introduce a Good Food Bill in next month’s King’s Speech.

Unsurprisingly, though, the first question was about whether we supported the UK sending military help to keep the Strait of Hormuz open. Ed said:

I think we should work with our international partners, particularly at the UN if possible but certainly with our allies in NATO and elsewhere and in the Gulf Region in particular to see whatever we can do to open the Strait of Hormuz. I think diplomacy would be the best way forward rather than using military assets.

“But you are not against it in principle if it’s with other countries?” asked Derbyshire.

Well, I’d start with diplomacy. You have to open the Strait of Hormuz for the world economy, for British families and businesses who are suffering. This idiotic war prosecuted by Donald Trump and PM Netanyahu, initially supported by Kemi Bademoch and Nigel Farage, let’s not forget, has been a total disaster. It was so predictable and no doubt many American experts would have counselled the President against this. And let me give some praise to our Prime Minister. He was right to keep us out of this war. We’ve argued from the get-go that he should have stood up to Trump far earlier on the economy and defence and all these foreign policy issues.

We have already asked the Government for pressing for a price cap and a three-month VAT holiday to cut the cost of heating oil as well as an emergency Fuel Duty cut that would bring the cost of red diesel used by UK farmers down by around £5 million over the next three months.

We are also calling for a £1 billion increase in the farming budget to support British farmers to produce food sustainably and profitably, and for farm payments to recognise food security as a public good. Currently, England is the only country in Europe that doesn’t use its farm payments scheme to support food security. In the interview, Ed said EU rather than Europe. If only…

Ahead of the interview, Ed had said:

Donald Trump’s idiotic war with Iran – cheered on by Reform and the Conservatives – is squeezing British families from every direction: at the pump, on their energy bills, and now in the supermarket. In such an unstable world, Britain needs to become much more self-sufficient, especially when it comes to food.

That is why we are calling for a Good Food Bill in the King’s Speech, to put food security at the heart of the government’s agenda, back British farmers to produce food sustainably and profitably, and make sure everyone can afford the food they need.

The last Conservative Government disastrously undermined Britain’s food security, undercutting our world-class farmers with botched funding and bad trade deals. Labour has shown it doesn’t understand the rural economy, with their terrible mess over the family farm tax.

Only the Liberal Democrats are standing up for British farmers and British food production. It is crazy that England is the only place in Europe where farm payments don’t recognise the importance of food security. That has to change.”

Derbyshire pressed him at length on how exactly this would bring food prices down urgently and how our cut on VAT would be paid for and wouldn’t accept that the Government is already raking in extra tax as the oil price is going through the roof.

Tagged ed davey, food security, fuel, iran war and victoria derbyshire | 8 Comments

10 April 2026 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Fri 10th April 2026 - 10:30 pm

Cole-Hamilton comments on declining nursing applications
Cole-Hamilton sets out plan to “fix the damn roads”

Cole-Hamilton comments on declining nursing applications

Responding to an embargoed report by the Royal College of Nursing about a falling number of applications for nursing courses, with over 1,000 fewer people applying to study nursing in 2025 compared to 2019, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

For nineteen years, the SNP have made a dog’s dinner of NHS staffing. These gaps stretch all the way back to Nicola Sturgeon cutting nursing training places and claiming that was sensible.

Such a drastic fall in the number of people applying to

…

Also posted in Press releases and Scotland | Tagged Alex Cole-Hamilton, nursing and roads | Leave a comment

ALDC by-election report, 9th April

By Joe Nutt | Fri 10th April 2026 - 5:07 pm

There was only one principal council by-election this week. The count took place on Friday morning, so the result didn’t filter through until later on Friday afternoon.

Kent County Council, Cliftonville

The Green Party has taken the seat of Cliftonville in Kent from Reform UK. This result was perhaps inevitable given the turmoil surrounding the previous holder; having only won the seat last year amidst a wave of Reform gains from the Conservatives, the incumbent councillor was suspended by Reform following a guilty plea in February regarding a domestic incident, which ultimately triggered this by-election.

Beyond the individual conduct of the former councillor, the wider Reform administration in Kent is increasingly defined by instability. The local leadership has been plagued by internal infighting with leaked footage online showing disputes between backbenchers and the leadership. This was followed by a series of defections to Rupert Lowe’s splinter group, Restore UK. They’ve also had to U-turn on their flagship pledge to cut council tax earlier this year.

Local commentators framed this contest as a referendum on Reform’s chaotic performance. In this instance, the Green Party successfully consolidated the anti-Reform vote to deliver that message, with the Liberal Democrats starting from an extremely low base in this particular ward.

A big thank you to Mo Shafaei and the team for their hard work in ensuring there was a Liberal Democrat choice on the ballot.

Green Party: 2,068, 38.8% (+26.7)
Reform UK: 1,767, 33.1% (-7.0)
Conservatives: 811, 15.2% (-4.5)
Labour: 557, 10.4% (-11.6)
Independents: 68, 1.3% (New)
Liberal Democrats: 63, 1.2%(-1.9)

Green Party GAIN from Reform

Turnout: 32%

A full summary of the results, and all other principal council by-elections, can be found on the ALDC by-elections page here.

Tagged aldc local government by-elections | 6 Comments

9 April 2026 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 9th April 2026 - 10:40 pm

Cole-Hamilton sets out plan for a skills revolution
Scot Lib Dems call for investment in affordable housing in Mid Scotland & Fife

Cole-Hamilton sets out plan for a skills revolution

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has today set out plans for a skills revolution as he met with young scientists at Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh today.

The Scottish Liberal Democrats will:

Create a new industrial strategy that focuses on what we’re really good at and what we can be good at, and throw the weight and levers of government behind businesses that can help us achieve greater success in life sciences, energy, food and drink, fintech and financial services, defence and more.
Develop a new skills strategy, mapping where the gaps are and will be, and fitting training and education systems around it, so that the country secures the skills it needs in everything from social care to engineering and construction.
Repair Scotland’s colleges and vocational skills system, and safeguard the future of our world-leading universities.

In the recent budget negotiations, the party secured £70m to start to repair the damage that the SNP have inflicted on the college sector – a 10% budget increase. The party has also secured money to save Corseford College, Scotland’s first college for young adults with complex & additional needs and campaigned to save facilities for Scotland’s rural college in Fife.

Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

Scottish education just isn’t what it used to be. We used to have one of the best education systems in the world, but under the SNP it is now just average. The whole education system isn’t producing the range and depth of skills that businesses and our economy need. It’s ridiculous that the Scottish defence industry is having to hire 300 welders from the Philippines.

Our plan will invest in education at every stage, starting from a young age and continuing throughout adulthood. We want every child to get the support and attention they need at school, so they leave with the skills, confidence and resilience to be happy and successful, whatever they choose to do next.

We will repair Scotland’s colleges and vocational skills system, and safeguard the future of our world-leading universities so that we can deliver a skills revolution.

Unlike the SNP, Scottish Liberal Democrats would get ahead of the curve instead of waiting to pick up the pieces, making the most of Scotland’s homegrown skills, engineering supply chains and natural advantages.

If you believe Scotland needs change, then every vote for the Scottish Liberal Democrats on the second peach ballot will deliver change with fairness at its heart. Scotland deserves better. And with the Scottish Liberal Democrats, you can vote for it.

Scot Lib Dems call for investment in affordable housing in Mid Scotland & Fife

Scottish Liberal Democrat lead candidate for Mid Scotland & Fife, councillor Claire McLaren has today called on the Scottish Government to invest in affordable housing in Stirling, Perth & Kinross, Clackmannanshire and Fife as she revealed that the number of homes completed has fallen by a third over the past two years.

Also posted in Press releases and Scotland | Tagged Alex Cole-Hamilton, claire mclaren, housebuilding and skills development | Leave a comment

8 April 2026 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Wed 8th April 2026 - 11:20 pm

Cole-Hamilton takes on judo champ and pledges to restore Highland services
Cole-Hamilton: Time to beg UK Government and European operators for vessels for Dunkirk-style effort to tackle ferry crisis
Greene: Scottish Tory economy plans show they are the ‘nasty party’ again

Cole-Hamilton takes on judo champ and pledges to restore Highland services

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has today tried his hand at judo alongside former Commonwealth medallist, British champion and Highland councillor Connie Ramsay, as he set out his party’s pledge to restore services to Highland communities.

In September 2025, Connie Ramsay won a Highland Council by-election for the Scottish Liberal Democrats with 38.8% of the vote, taking a seat previously held by the SNP.

In their forthcoming manifesto, the party will commit to “end the era of SNP centralisation” by:

Increasing the range of NHS services available locally;
Ensuring decisions about health services are taken as close as possible to the communities they affect and that any reform does not result in top-down centralisation;
Treating councils as equal partners with multi-year funding deals and new freedoms to innovate.
The party has continually campaigned for the restoration of consultant-led maternity services in the Far North. The party also forced the SNP’s bureaucratic ministerial takeover of social care out of the Scottish Budget after ministers threw away £30 million – equivalent to the annual salary of 1200 care workers, and money that could have been spent helping people like Margaret MacGill who Alex visited yesterday.

Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

Our country works best when decisions are taken as close as possible to those they affect. Right now, people don’t feel like they are being listened to or that they have the means to roll up their sleeves, do things differently and change their area for the better.

Almost two decades of SNP centralisation has drained local communities of the ability to shape their own future. Care homes and maternity services are just some of the facilities that have gone as a consequence. The viability of some rural and remote areas is being threatened by the lack of public transport, the ferries fiasco, the housing emergency and skills shortages.

Scottish Liberal Democrats know that every place has its own character, its own needs and priorities. We will shift power out of Holyrood and into local hands, so you can get on with improving where you live without waiting for the say-so of ministers in Edinburgh. From city centres to remote islands, and everything in between, we’ll make sure your area has the services and opportunity to live, work and raise a family.

Wherever you are, every Scottish Liberal Democrat elected in target constituencies like Caithness, Sutherland & Ross, and through the peach regional ballot paper, will deliver change with fairness at its heart.

Cole-Hamilton: Time to beg UK Government and European operators for vessels for Dunkirk-style effort to tackle ferry crisis

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has today said that John Swinney should be on the phone begging the UK Government and ferry operators around Europe for extra boats to alleviate the ferry crisis.

Also posted in Press releases and Scotland | Tagged Alex Cole-Hamilton, ferries, highlands, jamie greene and scottish conservatives | Leave a comment

Updated: Should Lib Dems change our line on Trump?

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 8th April 2026 - 9:25 am

So, we can breathe again. For a few days at least.

But it’s more likely than not that we will be back up at the top of this hill again in a fortnight.

And if Trump’s behaviour over the tariffs is repeated, he’ll up the ante with even more offensive language and we’ll go from deadline to deadline.

To see the leader of the free world openly threatening genocide (“A civilisation will die tonight”) and war crimes attacking civilian infrastructure was horrifying.

The bit that made me gulp was when the White House denied that he was planning to use nuclear weapons. I lived through a fair chunk of the Cold War. I was too young for the existential terror of the Cuban Missile Crisis but I never felt that we were likely to experience the Four Minute Warning imminently however frightening the Protect and Survive videos were.

I’m wondering if the Lib Dems should develop what we are saying in response to a President who is threatening the unthinkable. Ed Davey could never be accused of being timid on Trump but our response to his expletive laden rant on Easter Sunday was two days late and issued at pretty much the same time as the Labour Government announced it would do as we were asking.

UPDATE: I have had my wrist slapped for the above for missing Ed’s comment put out on social media on Sunday evening so it is only fair to add it in here.

Should we be calling for the US Ambassador to be dragged in to Downing Street and given an absolute carpetting? Should we not be calling for the UK Government to introduce a whole list of sanctions, in concert with our European partners, if Trump goes any further? The US is a rogue state now and should be treated like one.

We should certainly renew our calls for the King’s State visit to the States at the end of this month to be at the very least postponed. It would not be a good look for our head of state to be receiving hospitality at potentially the same time as Trump is threatening or even committing war crimes?

Tagged donald trump, ed davey, international, iran and us | 10 Comments

Cole-Hamilton: I want to fix delayed discharge, gain four new Highland and Island seats and send the SNP packing

By Mark Valladares | Wed 8th April 2026 - 7:30 am

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has used a visit to Wick to set out how his party can win four additional constituency seats in the Highlands and Islands from the SNP and to launch his party’s plans to tackle delayed discharge.

Mr Cole-Hamilton was in Wick to meet Margaret MacGill who is just home after being stuck in hospital for a year when she didn’t need or want to be there – a case he repeatedly raised at First Minister’s Questions.

Margaret was first admitted to Raigmore Hospital in November 2024 with a rare spinal condition, before moving to the Town and County Hospital in Wick in February 2025. Despite being assessed as fit to leave hospital, she was unable to do so because there were no carers able to drop in and help her. She finally returned home last month after her family arranged private care, having been told that otherwise she would have to remain in hospital for another year.

New figures published by Public Health Scotland show that at the February 2026 census, there were 1,939 people whose discharge from hospital was delayed. In February 2026, there were also 55,547 days spent in hospital by people whose discharge was delayed. This is 2% more than the number of delayed days in February 2025 (54,487).

In their forthcoming manifesto, Scottish Liberal Democrats will set out plans to make careers in social care more attractive and value experienced staff to improve retention by:

Creating new dedicated key worker housing for carers and other eligible workers, so the housing crisis doesn’t stop people taking up posts.
Rewarding care workers through national bargaining on pay and conditions, fair work and a career ladder that boosts their skills and respects their experience at every step.
Change to a 7-day discharge model so people aren’t kept in hospital just because it is a weekend.
Using the NHS App to help people to arrange welfare power of attorney, so they don’t become trapped in hospital down the line.

Also posted in Press releases and Scotland | Tagged Alex Cole-Hamilton and highlands and islands | 1 Comment

7 April 2026 – today’s press releases (part 2)

By Mark Valladares | Tue 7th April 2026 - 11:25 pm

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, …

Also posted in Press releases and Scotland | Tagged alan reid, ferry service, jamie greene, scottish conservatives, us attack on iran, war crimes and wendy chamberlain | Leave a comment

7 April 2026 – today’s press releases (part 1)

By Mark Valladares | Tue 7th April 2026 - 10:55 pm

Cole-Hamilton: Last chance for Parliament to address ferry fiasco
Greene: Scottish Government must get a grip on MV Glen Sannox fiasco
“Dangerously naive” Green candidate wants to abolish prison
Worst February ever for A&E waits
Greene comments on defence jobs warnings

Cole-Hamilton: Last chance for Parliament to address ferry fiasco

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has today said that this is the “last chance” for MSPs to convene at Holyrood and find a solution to Scotland’s acute ferry crisis, which has seen multiple vessels out of service all at once.

His call comes ahead of the Scottish Parliament officially dissolving for this year’s election on Thursday morning.

Four major ferries have been called in for technical works in the last few weeks, leaving several key routes almost entirely unserved and cutting people off from supplies, services and jobs — and just yesterday, CalMac cancelled two services because the just-reintroduced Glen Sannox is experiencing fuel pump problems.

Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

That so many ferries have been forced into repairs at the same time is an outrage, and a sorry demonstration of the SNP’s dire neglect of the ferry fleet.

The point of having a Scottish Parliament is to be able to tackle the problems facing our country, but the SNP have refused to come back to Holyrood to sort out this fiasco.

Liberal Democrats believe that parliament should be the place to get things done for people. This is the last chance for John Swinney to come back to Holyrood and help these communities through the crisis the SNP have left them to face.

Alan Reid, Scottish Liberal Democrat candidate for Argyll and Bute, added:

As someone who was themselves nearly left stranded by the recent breakdowns, I want to see the Scottish government step up and sort this crisis out.

While it is good news that MV Lord of the Isles is set to return to service, this near-collapse of the fleet has left folk who depend on ferries worried that the same could happen again with little or no warning.

The ferries fiasco is the result of 19 years of incompetent and unaccountable government under the SNP. As Scotland prepares to pass judgment on his legacy, John Swinney has a chance to prove that he cares more about coastal and island communities than he does about his own re-election campaign.

Whether or not he reconvenes parliament, the Scottish Liberal Democrats have a plan to fix our broken ferry system and mak(e sure the government is held to account for its performance. That’s what we’re offering Scots the chance to vote for on 7th May.

Greene: Scottish Government must get a grip on MV Glen Sannox fiasco

Scottish Liberal Democrat transport spokesperson Jamie Greene has called on the SNP to finally get to grips with the troubled MV Glen Sannox ferry service between Troon and Arran.

The Glen Sannox has been put out of action again with reported engine trouble, described by CalMac as a “recurring technical issue,” leaving coastal and island communities stranded.

The vessel has been plagued with problems and cancellations since finally coming into service in 2025, seven years later than scheduled and four times over budget.

Also posted in Press releases and Scotland | Tagged accident and emergency, alan reid, Alex Cole-Hamilton, defence industry, ferry service, jamie greene, liam mcarthur, prisons and sentencing | Leave a comment

Campaigner to take part in Kiltwalk to raise money for Scottish Autism

By The Voice | Tue 7th April 2026 - 4:41 pm

Lib Dem campaigner, Michael Gregori, is taking part in the Glasgow Kiltwalk on Sunday, 26th April, in support of Scottish Autism — one of Scotland’s leading charities dedicated to supporting autistic people and their families.

The Glasgow Kiltwalk brings together thousands of participants from across Scotland each year. Walkers take on routes through the heart of the city to raise funds and awareness for causes close to their hearts. Every penny donated and every mile walked goes toward strengthening local charities and the communities they serve.

By participating in the event, Michael Gregori aims to raise vital funds and shine a light on the invaluable work Scottish Autism does every day to enhance the quality of life for individuals on the autism spectrum. The charity provides essential care, education, advocacy, and support services to both autistic people and their families across Scotland.

ALDC by-election report, 2nd April

By Joe Nutt | Fri 3rd April 2026 - 1:51 pm

There were four principal council by-elections this week, of which all but one had a Liberal Democrat candidate on the ballot. One council seat was being defended by us.

North Devon Council, Fremington

In North Devon, the Liberal Democrats gained a seat from the Independents in Fremington. It should be noted that in 2023, both seats were won by Independents, before Councillor Frank Biederman joined the Liberal Democrats. The by-election was triggered by the sad passing of his ward colleague, who remained as an independent.

Without any independents standing this time, it would seem there was a lot of unknowns in where the vote would go for this time. In this context, not only did the Liberal Democrats manage to fend off Reform and prevent the Greens from establishing themselves as the progressive alternative, but they also increased their vote share by more than any other party. This is particularly impressive when we’re used to seeing these big swings to Reform in other by-elections from a standing start.

A huge congratulations to Cllr Jayne Mackie and the team on running such a successful campaign.

Liberal Democrats: 752 – 49.9% (+42.4)
Reform UK: 496 – 32.9% (new)
Green Party: 131 – 8.7% (New)
Conservatives: 116 – 7.7% (-4.4)
Labour: 12 – 0.8% (-7.8)

Liberal Democrat GAIN from Independents

Turnout: 34.7%

Tagged aldc local government by-elections | 10 Comments

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8 April 2026 – today’s press releases

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Cole-Hamilton: I want to fix delayed discharge, gain four new Highland and Island seats and send the SNP packing

7 April 2026 – today’s press releases (part 2)

7 April 2026 – today’s press releases (part 1)

Campaigner to take part in Kiltwalk to raise money for Scottish Autism

ALDC by-election report, 2nd April

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