9 Comments

• Tom S 15th Jan '07 - 6:44pm

  When was there ever a possibility that they would be? They were 4th in 2003 and only 2nd in 4 seats. Who was seriously saying that they had any chance?

• Andrea 15th Jan '07 - 8:31pm

  “Who was seriously saying that they had any chance?”

  Nicol Stephen said it a couple of times. I supposed it was just some spin (as all parties do in run ups of elections)

• Dunfermline and West Fife 16th Jan '07 - 8:19am

  In the main, the claim was made after the Dunfermline and West Fife by-election, coming from a distant second and smashing Labour’s majority.

• Andrea 16th Jan '07 - 9:33am

  “In the main, the claim was made after the Dunfermline and West Fife by-election, coming from a distant second and smashing Labour’s majority”

  It’s usually made referring to that result as an example, but he has also made it months after that occasion. The last time he referred to it was his New Year’s message
  http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6221467.stm

• Dunfermline and West Fife 16th Jan '07 - 2:13pm

  “The last time he referred to it was his New Year’s message
  http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6221467.stm”

  Indeed, when he referred to the Dunfermline result as “the turning point”.

• Dan 17th Jan '07 - 9:55am

  I agree it is unlikely that the Lib Dems could end up with the largets number of seats in a tight race it is not comletely out of the question. Particularly if the Lib Dems are able to turn out their UK general election votes.

  I don’t agree with Tom that there are only four constituencies they could win – I’d say on a good day at six to eight constituency gains could be possible including seats in Edinburgh, Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Aberdeen
  Inverness and Dunfermline – all areas where there the Lib Dems are strong in local governemnt, there are marginal MSPs or the Lib Dems hold the Westminster seats. There’s also an outside chance in places like Greenock and Glasgow Kelvin.

  With a small increase in vote share additional list seats in Glasgow and West Scotland among others would also be possible.

  So the Lib Dems could realistically reach the high twenties/early thirties in seats. If the election was close enough (like Inverness in 1992) that might conceivably be enough to make them the largest party in a very well hung Parliament!

  But I won’t be putting my shirt on it…

• hywelmorgan 20th Jan '07 - 11:50pm

  The front page of the Scottish Lib Dems website says:
  “It [Dunfermline] was a turning point and for the first time it is now clear the Liberal Democrats can be Scotland’s largest party.”

• mctosh45 5th Feb '07 - 8:11pm

  The words ‘snowball’ and ‘hell’ spring to mind?

• Liesbeth Kiki 21st Oct '07 - 11:59pm

  and then i came out, mommy move me down sout. Liesbeth Kiki.