On Friday, Ed made the long journey to Aberdeen – 7.5 hours on a train from London.

The first hustings took place there but, first, a look back to an op ed he did last week for the New Statesman on LGBT rights:

Over the last 50 years, the hard work by campaigners and rights groups has seen the UK take hugely progressive steps in the right direction. In my lifetime alone our country has overcome so many barriers in the fight for equality. I am proud to have been a part of this fight and particularly proud to have introduced the amendment to repeal the abhorrent Section 28 in 2003 and to have been a part of legislating for equal marriage when Liberal Democrats were in government. It is shocking to recall how recently the UK banned the “promotion” of homosexuality in Britain’s schools (under Section 28) and denied people the right to marry the person they love because of their gender.

https://twitter.com/wilsjen/status/1137075694347964416

And then on to more hustings at a a beautiful venue in Edinburgh:

#LibDemLeadership hustings at Stockbridge this afternoon. Both @EdwardJDavey and @joswinson spoke passionately on liberalism, poverty and the climate emergency. Both would make excellent party leaders. #LibDemSurge pic.twitter.com/YkTxzgy6j9

— North Edinburgh & Leith Lib Dems 🔶 (@NELLibDems) June 8, 2019

https://twitter.com/VGibbs30/status/1137353014568726529

The final hustings of the weekend was in Newcastle

https://twitter.com/Parklands_Ward/status/1137423932519325703

He used an interview with Business Insider to make a friendly invitation to people in other parties or none who might want to join us, most notably the former Change UK MPs who left this week:

“But fundamentally, if individuals want to come and join the Liberal Democrats, and sign up to our values, and then I would absolutely welcome them. Totally… We do need to be a political home for the politically homeless.”

He told the Observer, though, that he wasn’t up for any sort of Remain pact:

“I admire these MPs for putting political principles before political careers. But the Liberal Democrats smashed it in the local and European elections, and as Labour tears itself apart over Brexit, we are the only viable party of Remain.

“A pact doesn’t cut it. The Liberal Democrats should be very confident about our strength and our values. Anyone on our side who suggests a pact would be selling the Liberal Democrats short. A pact would simply blunt our clear anti-Brexit, pro-environment message. These MPs need to prove their liberal values and join the Liberal Democrats. If they disagree with us on anything, try to change us from within.

He added: “I would welcome the campaigning skills of the likes of Sarah Wollaston [the former Conservative and Change UK MP] and Chuka Umunna [the former Labour and Change UK MP] to join our crusade to show how stopping Brexit will end austerity and help the most vulnerable.”