When I joined the Liberal Democrats, I told my family that I didn’t join for a job or for a career; sadly for too many that was the reality on 8th May.

We should thank, above all else, colleagues in HQ and around the country who campaigned tirelessly and with such dedication. They deserved much better and we owe them so much.

Charles Kennedy was straight off the mark with his thanks and in return I would like to thank him. Thank him for his service, for inspiring a generation of activists including myself, and for giving me the opportunity to work for the Highlands. I would do it again, and I know Charles remains in the trenches with us.

Last week I celebrated (yes, celebrated!) with the Gordon Liberal Democrats. Christine Jardine and her team played an absolute blinder. Indeed, if the mood of their team is anything to go by, you can bet they will be back – more determined than ever!

That evening Sir Robert Smith summed up, uniquely, where we are as a party. Addressing Malcolm Bruce he said, “There really wasn’t any obligation on you to leave the party as you found it!”

Humour aside, there is an important message. Our party has faced setbacks, and we fought back and won. Using our journey as inspiration, combined with the talent of our members, reignites confidence for our future. This was certainly demonstrated at the Scottish Liberal Democrat special meeting in Edinburgh on Sunday.

Joining the Liberal Democrats, as so many thousands now have, is about belief in our values. It is about the shared vision we have for our local communities and for our country.

Losing an election does not make our values and our vision any less important. Quite the opposite in fact, they make them even more important. We must now fight, fight harder than ever before.

This is an opportunity, a time to rededicate ourselves and set our minds to what we do best – pushing the radical agenda.

Let us break new ground. We need transformational ideas to tackle our housing crisis, to overcome climate change, and to navigate our role in the world. As Candy Piercy taught me; where there is a problem we will find a solution.

We must, however, be honest about where we are. We must be willing to adapt, to listen and to learn. Particularly here in Scotland, the ramifications of which we must be open-minded to.

What John Thurso said as his result was declared will stick with me; “The flame of Liberalism in the Highlands is flickering, but it will not go out.” John is absolutely right.

The torch has been passed, whether we choose to accept it or not, to our generation of Liberal Democrats.

I for one am ready to pick it up and march, like our predecessors before us, towards the sound of gunfire.

Join us in the fight, and together I have no doubts we will win again.

* David Green is a Scottish Party Executive Member, former President of Liberal Youth Scotland and spent the last year as Press Officer for Charles Kennedy. He is now a Scottish Liberal Democrat list candidate for the 2016 Scottish Parliamentary elections.