Scottish Lib Dems met in Perth for their Autumn Conference on Saturday. Alex Cole-Hamilton was in buoyant mood after a stonking by-election win on Thursday in Colinton/Fairmilehead in Edinburgh. We took the seat of new Labour MP Scott Arthur, going from fourth to first place. Winning 36% of the vote was incredible. Alex also had another by-election win in Perthshire itself to gloat about. A few weeks ago, Alan Watt had a similar meteoric rise after a superb and intense campaign.
We will have more about the Conference later. There were some brilliant and highly controversial debates, possibly some of the best I have heard in my long history of attending Conference.
But first, here is Alex’s speech. He spoke in the same room where David Bowie once performed.
The audio is at best not great, so you will need the text below.
Martin stretching climate credibility with watering down comments
Planning applications fall across almost every category
Almost 1 in 6 calls in NHS 24 go unanswered
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has today said that every corner of our NHS is suffering under SNP mismanagement as he revealed that almost 1 in 6 calls to NHS 24 went unanswered last year.
A Scottish Liberal Democrat freedom of information request revealed that in 2023/24, 16.5% of calls to the NHS 24-111 service went unanswered.
The freedom of information request also shows that in 2023/24, the longest wait for a call to be answered was more than 3 hours in January 2024. The average wait for a call to be answered was almost 28 minutes in March 2024.
Mr Cole-Hamilton said:
As these figures show, too many calls are going unanswered and people are facing very long waits before they get through to someone who can help.
Under the SNP’s mismanagement, this is another part of our NHS that is crying out for help. From excruciating waits at A&E to record numbers of people stuck in hospital, patients are suffering and staff are beyond breaking point.
Scottish Liberal Democrats want a complete overhaul of the SNP’s failed NHS recovery plan. We need a new plan that will tackle burnout among staff and address core problems, such as the crises in mental health and social care. That’s how we can ease pressures across the rest of the health service and get everyone the care they desperately deserve.
Martin stretching climate credibility with watering down comments
Responding to Scotland’s Net Zero Secretary, Gillian Martin, telling the BBC that the SNP government haven’t been ‘watering down’ their climate targets, despite choosing to scrap key emissions goals just weeks ago, Scottish Liberal Democrat climate crisis spokesperson Liam McArthur MSP said:
It’s 10 years since the stunning and emotive display of ceramic poppies, one for each allied soldier killed in the First World War, at the Tower of London.
Today, the nation marks Remembrance Sunday, 110 years after the war broke out and almost 106 years since it ended.
Ed Davey said:
Remembrance Sunday is such an important day for all of us. We remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, for our peace and for the future we all share.
We must never forget their sacrifice nor can we forget the veterans, many of whom will march past the Cenotaph today. They still bear the scars, both mental and physical, from their service, and our country can and must do much more to support them.
Alex Cole-Hamilton spoke at Holyrood this week and remembered not only those British soldiers who had died in conflict but Ukrainians who are fighting to protect our freedoms.
Alex Cole-Hamilton has today hailed increases in Lib Dem vote share in Aberdeenshire and Moray as he set out how his party have been the big vote share winners in the autumn by-elections.
Since the general election in July, the Scot Lib Dems have gained more vote share than any other party (up 4.5%). Scottish Labour are up 3.8%, the Scottish Conservatives are down 2.6% and the SNP are down 3.7%,
In all four of the by-elections the party contested this week, it saw an increase in vote share including +15.2% in Mearns in Aberdeenshire, within 88 votes of overtaking the SNP …
American presidential elections in days of yore were pretty simple. We all went to bed at our usual time and then when we woke up in the morning, we knew who was going to be President.
And then Bush v Gore 2000 happened and it all took a bit longer as we learned about things like “Hanging Chads” and how they affected the vote counts in Florida. It took until 12 December until the Supreme Court stopped the recount and Gore conceded the next day.
In 2020, we spent four long nights and three and a half long days constantly refreshing CNN and agonising in WhatsApp chats before it was clear to everyone except Donald Trump and his followers that Joe Biden had won.
This year I’m not sure I have a big enough cushion to hide behind as the results come in. But before we get too absorbed in the details, take a minute to have a good laugh at Kamala’s appearance on last night’s Saturday Night Live. Pitch perfect:
We are probably not going to know for a while after the polls close whether the US will have a President who will respect women’s rights, put more money back in the hands of the poorest and grow the economy, or someone who will give to his billionaire mates, pursue policies that see more women die because they can’t get medical treatment if they have a miscarriage, and threaten US democracy itself.
The conventional wisdom amongst commentators at the moment is that Donald Trump will get his second term in the White House. Let’s hope they have it as wrong as they had it in 2016 when they all thought Hillary was going to win. We have to remember that part of the reason for the Democrats losing back then was because they were so convinced they were going to win that they stopped spending money in the swing states while Donald Trump spent a fortune on wall to wall advertising.
The Democrats are not making that mistake again. The Harris/Walz campaign has been concentrating on the swing states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Georgia, Nevada and Arizona. The election will likely be decided on tens of thousands of votes in those places. It’s a bit like how our elections are decided in 100 or so marginal seats across the country except on a bigger scale.
She’s had some help in the past week from Scottish Lib Dem Leader who went out there with some friends (at their own expense) to knock on doors. It’s not the first time he has been out. He turned out to be a good luck charm for Obama in Virginia in 2008. He made some observations on Twitter this week about his trip an the prospects in the election:
The field campaign team there are exceptional but they are utterly exhausted and driving hard for the finish line, I’m proud to know them. They certainly put me to work in getting out the vote.
With over 1k doors knocked across 9 communities in Lackawanna county, PA, I got to see a lot of the Scranton area in stunning autumnal beauty. These are warm, resilient communities, but in many ways they have cause to feel left behind.
This is an exceptionally tight election, everyone knows that, but I’ve never seen tribalism run quite so deep before. Those houses without partisan lawn signs are in the minority and this election is dividing communities and even families, like never before.
A standout highlight for me was getting to meet Tim Walz in person, but above that I will never forget the warmth of the people I met on the doors of Pennsylvania.
My assessment? She can absolutely do it, but turnout is everything.
GP and care home tax hike: Govt must not make same mistakes as Conservatives
Ed Davey warns inheritance tax change could create ‘lost generation’ of farmers
Conservative Leadership: contest has shown refusal to take responsibility for the damage they did
NICs hike: Govt must scrap “GP penalty” immediately
Cole-Hamilton responds to Edinburgh Halloween disorder
Cole-Hamilton: Next UK Conservative leader will not stand up for Scotland
GP and care home tax hike: Govt must not make same mistakes as Conservatives
Commenting on reports that GPs and care homes have voiced concerns about the rise in employer National Insurance Contributions announced in the budget, Liberal Democrat Health and Social Care Spokesperson Helen Morgan MP said:
After years of mismanagement by the former Conservative government, this budget was an opportunity to rescue GP surgeries from years of neglect.
We are urging the Chancellor to change course, and exempt GPs from a tax hike. This new government must not make the same mistakes as the Conservatives, fixing the GP crisis is crucial for saving the NHS.
If people can be checked quicker, fewer will end up in hospital for treatment. That’s better for patients, better for the NHS and better for taxpayers.
Ed Davey warns inheritance tax change could create ‘lost generation’ of farmers
Davey calls on the Chancellor to reverse changes made to farmers’ inheritance tax
The party has raised the alarm over concerns of a ‘lost generation’ of farmers
Around 70,000 farms will be impacted by the changes to the Agricultural Property Relief scheme
Lib Dem analysis of the Autumn Budget points to a £70m cut to DEFRA’s food and farming budget
Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey has raised concerns over the Autumn Budget creating a ‘lost generation’ of farmers with a double hammer blow to rural communities. It comes as he visits an agricultural college in Maidenhead today with Lib Dem MP Joshua Reynolds.
Analysis by the party raised fears of a £70 million cut to DEFRA’s food and farming budget hidden in the fine print of the Chancellor’s plans, meaning even less government support for farmers who are already struggling after years of chaos and uncertainty caused by the Conservative Party.
In the Budget, the Chancellor also announced sweeping changes to the Agricultural Property Relief scheme which will impact around 70,000 farms. The Liberal Democrats have raised serious concerns that the changes will force many to sell up small family-owned farms – with young people in rural communities across the country robbed of a future in farming as a result.
Budget: Family farm tax will hit rural communities
Welsh Liberal Democrats comment in advance of Budget
Scot Lib Dems respond to UK budget
Budget: Family farm tax will be utterly devastating for rural Scotland
Budget: Family farm tax will hit rural communities
Responding to the Government’s changes to Agricultural Property Relief, Liberal Democrat Environment Spokesperson Tim Farron MP said:
This is a family farm tax which risks ringing the death knell for local farmers and the small businesses who rely on them. Small family-owned farms will also be hit by this and will be forced to sell up, with young people robbed of their opportunity to farm.
After years of the Conservatives taking rural communities for granted, it is deeply disappointing to see more of the same from this new government.
We’ll be fighting tooth and nail to protect family farms from these changes. Liberal Democrats backed British farmers by demanding an extra £1bn to support them during the election, and we’ll keep being a strong voice for our rural communities.
Welsh Liberal Democrats comment in advance of Budget
Commenting ahead of the 2024 UK Government budget, the Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Jane Dodds MS said:
The UK Government have the perfect opportunity to begin fixing the mess created by their Conservative predecessors.
Sky-high waiting lists are currently preventing thousands from receiving urgently needed healthcare, while out of control business rates are placing unnecessary pressures on our local businesses.
We want more money for our struggling NHS and social care services, so that the people of Wales are able to access healthcare services when and wherever they’re needed.
We want to see burden of any tax rises fall on the big banks, fossil fuel industries and big tech, not on our small local businesses.
By delivering a budget that works for the people of Wales, one which will support our public services and economy, we can begin to rebuild our economy for a brighter future.
Cole-Hamilton: SNP have left A&E in permanent crisis
Cole-Hamilton comments as thousands wait on social care support
More than a quarter of kids have tooth decay
Social Care Crisis: We need cross party talks now
Responding to Wes Streeting’s comments on the morning round about the social care crisis, Liberal Democrat Health and Social Care Spokesperson Helen Morgan MP said:
The Government must urgently start cross-party talks on social care before it is too late.
The previous Conservative Government turned a blind eye to the crisis for far too long, leaving the care sector in the gutter.
This must be a budget to save the NHS from the brink of collapse, and that cannot happen without a proper plan to fix social care.
Cole-Hamilton: SNP have left A&E in permanent crisis
Responding to new figures showing only 63% of people attending A&E were seen within the 4 hour target in the week ending 20th October, while 3,408 people waited over 8 hours and 1,546 waited over 12 hours, Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton said:
NAO Report on SEN provision: “urgent reform” needed, say Lib Dems
Nearly 6,000 crimes went unsolved every day last year
Government have “missed an open goal” on new football regulator, say Lib Dems
Reeves announcement: Chancellor must prioritise investment in crumbling hospitals
Cole-Hamilton: Greens have wasted £30m on care centralisation
Welsh Liberal Democrats demand action on NHS waiting lists
NAO Report on SEN provision: “urgent reform” needed, say Lib Dems
A new National Audit Office report has revealed that the Special Educational Needs (SEN) system is “financially unsustainable”, with 43% of councils at risk of effectively declaring bankruptcy.
It also found that there has been “no consistent improvement in outcomes for children and young people with SEN” since 2019, with 50% of children waiting more than the statutory 20-week target for an Education, Health and Care plan.
Responding to the report, Munira Wilson MP, the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Education, Children and Families, said:
Every child should get the help they need at nursery, in school and throughout their lives, to achieve all they can. But far too many children are being left to struggle because the support they need simply isn’t there.
The last Conservative Government woefully underfunded both schools and local councils, forcing thousands of parents to battle against a system that just isn’t working. That is unacceptable. No child, or their family, should have to wait so long or fight so hard to have their needs met.
Now this crisis is pushing councils to the brink of bankruptcy. I hope the Government will urgently reform the whole system to save council budgets and make sure children and parents get the support they need, without having to wait for months or go to court.
Nearly 6,000 crimes went unsolved every day last year
The Liberal Democrats have slammed the previous Conservative government’s “legacy of failure” as new statistics reveal the extent of unsolved crime in the year ending June 2024.
The figures were revealed by the Home Office’s own statistics on crime outcomes, released earlier this morning.
2,156,075 crimes went unsolved across England and Wales in the year ending June 2024, equivalent to 5,907 crimes going unsolved every day. Ths accounted for 40% of all crimes recorded that year.
Borrowing and debt figures: Burden must not fall on hard working households
Water Commission: More urgency needed to reform industry
Over one million 12 hour A&E waits this year as Lib Dems call on Chancellor to “winterproof” the NHS at the Budget
Braverman: Conservative leadership candidates must rule out shadow cabinet role
Jardine Introduces Bill to Improve Support for Bereaved Children
Cole-Hamilton: A&E in crisis as winter looms
Borrowing and debt figures: Burden must not fall on hard working households
Commenting on the latest figures on the public sector’s level of borrowing and debt, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said:
Today’s figures highlight the difficult position of our public finances after years of mismanagement under the previous Conservative Government – but this can’t be an excuse for the Chancellor to make the wrong decisions at the Budget.
We need to see urgent investment in our NHS and public services which have been reduced to their knees and bold action to fix our crumbling schools and hospitals.
The burden of fixing the Conservatives’ mess mustn’t fall on hard working households, but on the big banks, social media companies and oil and gas giants that can afford to pay a small amount of their soaring profits to get our public services back on their feet.
Water Commission: More urgency needed to reform industry
Responding to the government announcing a new Independent Water Commission, Liberal Democrat Environment spokesperson Tim Farron MP said:
Far more urgency is needed from the government on tackling the disgraced water industry, which has been allowed to get away with endless environmental scandals for too long.
Even before this Commission begins, the government should be getting on with introducing a new regulator with real teeth and power to get hold of these profiteering firms.
Whilst a review of the industry is welcome, it should not be used as a tool to kick the can down the road on immediate reforms.
Sadly, the government’s approach is still a job half done. It is time to put an end to profit before the environment in the water industry, and an end to this national scandal.
Over one million 12 hour A&E waits this year as Lib Dems call on Chancellor to “winterproof” the NHS at the Budget
NHS braced for another winter crisis as figures reveal a 20% rise in 12 hour A&E waits so far this year
Worst hit areas have seen a six-fold increase in 12 hour A&E waits compared to last year
Lib Dems warn this is a “life or death” issue and call on government to announce new ring-fenced fund in the Budget to end winter crises in the health service
Over one million patients have faced waits of 12 hours or more in A&E in England so far this year, up a fifth compared to the same period last year, new data uncovered by the Liberal Democrats has revealed.
Water company bonuses rise this year despite sewage scandal
2024 on track to be record worst year for cancer care
Cole-Hamilton reveals dozens of dentists retiring early in NHS exodus
Only 7 days when CalMac sailings ran to timetable in 15 months
Water company bonuses rise this year despite sewage scandal
Shocking research finds water company executives paid themselves more in bonuses and pensions this year
England and Wales water firms hand out £9.1million in bonuses to executives this year
Thames Water, Severn Trent and South West Water worst offenders for paying executives even more in bonuses this year
Liberal Democrats call for immediate ban on water company bonuses
Shocking new research by the Liberal Democrats has revealed water company executive bonuses have risen to £9.1m in 2023/2024.
The bosses of disgraced firms received over £20m in total, including basic pay, pension contributions and bonuses.
The party’s annual Sewage Bonus Tracker using analysis of Company House records, found water firms including Thames Water, Severn Trent and South West Water all increased their bonus pool for executives, despite polluting waterways with raw sewage.
The new findings come despite 2023 being a record year for the amount of sewage dumped into waterways, with Environment Agency data revealing more than 3.6m hours of sewage flowed into rivers and seas, up a staggering 105% annually.
Thames Water bonus payouts to executives almost double year-on-year, from £746,000 in 2022/2023 to a staggering £1.3m 2023/2024. This is despite Thames Water’s CEO quitting halfway through the year following financial issues.
The biggest bonus payout for executives was by Severn Trent, who paid their 3 executives an eye-watering £3.3million in bonuses, an increase year-on-year.
Pension contributions for water company executives rose to a new high of £1.7m this year. Thames Water paid their executives £754,000 in pension contributions alone last year.
Base pay for water company executives also remained at over £9m last year, with just one executive at Northumbrian Water paying themselves £421,000.
Wage Growth falls: Govt must back small businesses as the backbone of our economy
NI Rise: Chancellor needs to think again
Poll: 1 in 4 reveal they are unable to work because they can’t get a NHS appointment
Lib Dems urge further UK government sanctions to proscribe far-right Israeli ministers Ben-Gvir and Smotrich
Highland MP to lead debate on Community Benefits from Renewables
Cole-Hamilton: A&E waits once again worse than last year
Wage Growth falls: Govt must back small businesses as the backbone of our economy
Responding to the latest wage growth figures falling by 4.9%, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said:
The cost of living crisis is still affecting many people across the country.
The cost of the weekly shop remains sky high compared to a few years ago, and years of mismanagement under the Conservative Government had squeezed people’s pay.
The Government must use the Autumn Budget to tackle the cost-of-living crisis facing pensioners and families, and also back small businesses as the backbone of our economy.
NI Rise: Chancellor needs to think again
Responding to Keir Starmer refusing to rule out a National Insurance increase for employers in the Budget on BBC Breakfast, Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader and Treasury Spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said:
The Chancellor needs to think again if the government is considering hiking taxes on small businesses, who have already suffered from eye-watering tax rises under the last Conservative government.
The burden of this budget should fall on the likes of big banks, social media giants and oil and gas firms, instead of our local community businesses. The Chancellor should be protecting these smaller businesses, who are the backbone of our economy and the heartbeat of our communities.
Now is not the time to raise national insurance rates on our high streets, local businesses and dynamic entrepreneurs.
The Conservative government has left our economy on life support. Now is the time to boost growth by backing small businesses and repairing our crumbling public services.
Poll: 1 in 4 reveal they are unable to work because they can’t get a NHS appointment
The Liberal Democrats will be using their first full opposition day in 15 years to focus on the NHS and care crisis.
Almost half (45%) of Brits have tried to get a NHS appointment in the last year and have been unable to.
1 in 4 (27%) reveal they are unable to work because they can’t get a NHS appointment
Almost three in five (58%) adults who were unable to get a NHS appointment have self-diagnosed from searching their symptoms online.
The Liberal Democrats will use their opposition day in Parliament tomorrow to raise the NHS crisis, as a shocking new poll commissioned by the party reveals reveals a quarter (27%) of working adults in the UK say they have been unable to work in the last 12 months because they were waiting for a GP (19%) or NHS dentist appointment (12%).
Senior Liberal Democrats have commented on the sudden death of former Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond, highlighting his impact on Scottish politics and expressing sympathy for his wife Moira.
Scottish Liberal Democrat Leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said:
Alex Salmond was a substantial figure who left an undeniable impact on Scottish politics. Our thoughts are with Moira Salmond tonight.
In 2015 and 2016, Christine Jardine fought Alex Salmond in the Gordon Westminster seat. But this was far from the first time she had met him. She first interviewed him as a young reporter in the late 80s.
She said:
I am shocked and saddened to hear of Alex Salmond’s passing. A towering figure in Scottish politics, his talent was undeniable. We may never have agreed politically but I did enjoy our jousts, in journalism and in politics. My thoughts are with his family.
Jim Wallace was Deputy First Minister for the first eight years of the Scottish Parliament when Alex Salmond was the Leader of the Opposition. He said:
Four in five NHS trusts missing cancer target as Lib Dems call for health service to be number one priority at the Budget
Cole-Hamilton files parliamentary motion on antisocial behaviour
Rennie comments as metal tycoon faces prosecution over accounts
Cole-Hamilton raises ADHD waits with First Minister
Rennie responds to Audit Scotland report
Four in five NHS trusts missing cancer target as Lib Dems call for health service to be number one priority at the Budget
Responding to the latest NHS data which shows that 123 NHS Trusts, 82.5%, missed their cancer waiting time target in August of treating 85% of patients within 62-days of an urgent referral, Liberal Democrat Health and Social Care spokesperson Helen Morgan MP said:
Having a cancer diagnosis is one of the most terrifying moments of anyone’s life. Everyone should get the treatment and care they need when they need it. Sadly, we have heard countless stories where that is just not the case.
The previous Conservative government’s neglect and mismanagement of the NHS has left vital services struggling to provide care and hospitals crumbling. The Conservative Party has proven itself unfit to ever be trusted with our health service again.
It is now down to the new government to rise to the greatest challenge facing our country, rescuing the NHS. That means treating it as the number one priority at the Budget, to get our health service the resources it needs to get patients the life saving care they deserve.
Cole-Hamilton files parliamentary motion on antisocial behaviour
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has filed a parliamentary motion on antisocial behaviour which calls on the Scottish Government to strengthen police and community responses to ensure that all reports of antisocial behaviour are taken seriously and effectively addressed.
Water companies revealed to escape fines as Lib Dems force new sewage vote in Parliament
Water Bills: Govt must enforce tougher restrictions on water companies
Cole-Hamilton calls for support as thousands of NHS staff off on long term sick
Action needed on Welsh water quality
Cole-Hamilton: A&E in permacrisis under SNP
Drug deaths crisis brings untold suffering
Rennie responds to Swinney’s poverty comments
Chairman of scandal-hit water regulator quits
Water companies revealed to escape fines as Lib Dems force new sewage vote in Parliament
Liberal Democrats to force parliamentary vote on outright ban on water company bosses bonuses
New Freedom of Information Request reveals Ofwat has failed to levy any fines against disgraced firms and employs just 8 full time staff on sewage investigations
Ed Davey slams government decision to let Ofwat decide new water company bosses bonuses
The Liberal Democrats plan to table an amendment which outlaws water company bonuses as the government’s new Water Bill enters Parliament tomorrow (9 October).
It comes as a shocking new Freedom of Information request by the Liberal Democrats found that Ofwat admitted “we have not issued any fines in connection with how water companies manage their sewage treatment” Since they launched their investigation into water companies’ sewage discharges in November 2021. Instead, Ofwat is still in “consultation” with the water companies it aims to fine.
The new findings revealed by the Liberal Democrats goes on to state that Ofwat’s investigation into sewage treatment works has a staffing of just 8.5 full-time employees, “many” of whom are working on the report “alongside other projects”.
This scant, part-time staffing raises serious questions over the regulator’s resources and powers to properly scrutinise water companies it oversees – particularly given that Ofwat’s CEO called the project “the largest and most complex investigation” the watchdog has ever undertaken.
Ofwat told the Lib Dems that “many of the people working on the investigation do so for a portion of their time alongside other projects”, and that the regulator is “in the process of recruiting further staff”.
Under the government’s new Water Bill, water company executive bonuses will be determined by key test indicators established by Ofwat. Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey is calling for Ofwat to be scrapped as a failed regulator which should have no role in determining water company bonuses.
Analysis of Company House records by the Liberal Democrats has found water company executives have made £35 million in bonuses since 2021.
Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said:
It is time for Parliament to stand up and take action on the sewage crisis after years of failure under the Conservatives.
The new government’s attempt is sadly a job half done. A toothless and tired regulator will fail to end the scandal of multi-million pound bonuses for sewage dumpers.
We need water company executive bonuses banned until the sewage dumping stops. This disgraced industry has shown it is not worthy of any bonuses.
Conservative MPs spent years voting against a ban on sewage bonuses and propping up a failed regulator. It is time to rip up the industry, with companies which no longer put profit before the environment, and a proper regulator with real power.
Liberal Democrat MPs standby ready to work with the government to make sure the new Water Bill protects local communities from foul sewage.
Water Bills: Govt must enforce tougher restrictions on water companies
Commenting on the latest Ofwat reports, which revealed that water firms have been told to cut bills over poor performance, Liberal Democrat Environment Spokesperson Tim Farron MP said:
STUC withdraw support for SNP takeover of care services
Responding to the news that the STUC has withdrawn support for the Scottish Government’s proposed centralisation of care services, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said:
For too long an attitude of “SNP ministers know best” has blighted the management of public services.
This legislation has been exposed as completely unfit for purpose. It does nothing to ease pressures on care staff and services. Instead it would wrench away control of services from communities.
People want local control and influence over the social care services they rely on. They don’t want decisions about care in
Children with developmental concerns almost doubles
McArthur launches probe into proposed use of live facial recognition tech
New survey lays bare crisis in social care
Children with developmental concerns almost doubles
Scottish Liberal Democrat communities spokesperson Willie Rennie MSP has today urged the SNP government to do far more to support children from poorer backgrounds, as new figures revealed that the percentage of children with developmental concerns has almost doubled since 2019.
Child health reviews are offered to all children in Scotland. These reviews refer to assessments of a child’s development at 13-15 months, 27-30 months and 4-5 years.
The figures from Public Health Scotland published this week show:
Of those children who received a 4-5 year review, the percentage with developmental concerns increased from 11.87% in 2019 to 17.71% in 2024.
16.68% of children who received a 27-30 month review (1,915 children) had a concern noted about at least one area of their development;
There were high numbers of children who had a concern noted in the following areas: gross motor, speech, language and communication and emotional and behavioural;
11.53% of children who received a 27-30 month review had a new or previous concern recorded for speech, language and communication, while 8.1% of children who received a 13-15 month review had a new or previous concern recorded for gross motor.
Mr Rennie said:
Scotland’s children should be growing up in the best environment, but on the SNP’s watch far too many are showing developmental concerns.
The pandemic was incredibly challenging for parents and children. Rather than invest to support families, SNP ministers have fallen short.
The government must put in place extra support for all those children who have had a developmental concern noted. I want to see ministers doing everything in their power to ensure that issues are identified and addressed as early as possible so that every child can flourish, no matter their background or circumstance.
McArthur launches probe into proposed use of live facial recognition tech
Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Liam McArthur has filed 40 parliamentary questions on Police Scotland’s proposed use of live facial recognition as he bids to force the Scottish Government to explain how the measures are compatible with equalities and civil liberties concerns.
Record high numbers living in temporary accommodation as Lib Dems call on govt to end homelessness this Parliament
Ed Davey calls for boost for unpaid carers as figures show one in four not in work
Cole-Hamilton pens letter to former Conservative voters urging them to abandon party
1 in 9 Scots report mental health condition
627,700 unpaid carers in Scotland
Cole-Hamilton comments on further Creative Scotland funding delay
Record high numbers living in temporary accommodation as Lib Dems call on govt to end homelessness this Parliament
The number of families living in temporary accommodation has reached a record high, the latest homelessness statistics have revealed, while there has been a 14.2% rise in rough sleeping.
The number of households reported in temporary accommodation reached 117,450 in March 2024 – the highest figure since these records began in 1998. This includes a 14.7% rise in the number of households with children living in temporary accommodation taking the total to 74,530.
There were also large increases last year in the number of households owed homelessness support by their local authority. Local authorities made 94,280 main homelessness duty decisions in 2023-24 – up by 25.1% on 2022-23.
The Liberal Democrats are calling on the government to publish a cross-Whitehall plan to end all forms of homelessness within this Parliament. The party said that the plans should include more support for councils to tackle the shocking rise in the number of people in temporary accommodation.
Responding to the latest figures, Liberal Democrat Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson, Vikki Slade MP said:
It is heartbreaking to think that so many families and children will be on the streets or without a place to call home this winter.
For years, the previous Conservative government chose to ignore the thousands that are rough sleeping and broke their promise to ban no fault evictions.
The new government must address this awful situation as a matter of urgency and that starts by publishing a cross-Whitehall plan to end all forms of homelessness within this Parliament.
This strategy must include more support for councils to tackle the shocking rise in families using temporary accommodation. No longer should we see people forced to sleep rough and unable to access the support they need.
Ed Davey calls for boost for unpaid carers as figures show one in four not in work
Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey will call on the government to boost support for unpaid carers, on a visit to a charity that supports children and young adults with Down syndrome and those who care for them.
It comes as House of Commons Library research commissioned by the Liberal Democrats has revealed unpaid carers are a sixth less likely to be employed, with one in four classed as ‘economically inactive’.
The data reveals that just 50% of ‘adult informal carers’ were in employment compared to 60% of all adults, making them a sixth less likely to be employed. Disturbingly, the data also showed that informal carers were a third more likely to be ‘permanently sick/disabled’ than the rest of the population, with almost one in 10 unpaid carers classified to be so.
Veterans facing homelessness reaches five-year high
Record high levels of people stuck in hospital
August A&E waiting times the worst on record for the month
Operations activity still well down on pre-pandemic levels
Cole-Hamilton comments on NHS dental deregistration in Dumfries & Galloway
Veterans facing homelessness reaches five-year high
Commenting on the news that in 2023/24 there were 935 homeless applications which included veterans, the highest figure since 2018/19, Scottish Liberal Democrat Veterans Spokesperson Bruce Wilson said:
Our veterans have dedicated their lives to public service and duty, putting themselves in harm’s way to do so. The fact that so many of them face homelessness is an utter disgrace.
No meaningful action has been taken to improve the transition to civilian life for veterans. Instead, service members have relied heavily on the charitable sector, struggling for funding.
The SNP have taken an axe to the housing budget and slashed funding for councils. They’ve completely failed to build the thousands of homes promised for social rent.
Scottish Liberal Democrats would support our veterans, treating them with the dignity and respect they deserve. That’s why we would drastically improve the standard of Ministry of Defence housing and waive application fees for indefinite leave for members of the armed forces on discharge. We would build more homes, bring thousands of empty homes back into use and re-establish social rent as a valid, long-term option.
Record high levels of people stuck in hospital
Responding to new Public Health Scotland figures which showed 2,009 people were stuck in hospital in August due to their discharge being delayed, the highest number of people delayed since the guidelines were updated in 2016, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:
By Caron Lindsay
| Mon 30th September 2024 - 11:58 pm
I am so incredibly sad tonight.
I woke up from a nap this afternoon to see the dreadful news that Neil Mackinnon, our first Press Officer in the Scottish Parliament, had died suddenly and unexpectedly.
I know that many of our Scottish readers will share my shock and sadness.
When I first came back to Scotland 24 years ago, Neil was one of the first people I got to know. He had a really funny dry wit and he was one of the wisest liberals. He was very good at sitting me down and trying to talk me round to the establishment position and sometimes he even managed it. I’ll never forget the raising of his eyebrow when I did something he disapproved of – and the twinkle in his eye that gave away that he wasn’t really that mad.
He stopped working for the party about 15 years ago and went off to work for the Edinburgh Fringe and then the UK Government in various guises but he was still a supporter and constructively critical friend of the party. He could phone canvass like a demon, too.
There is something going on in my life at the moment that I know he would have liked and I had been meaning to message him to tell him. Lesson for today is when you have the thought to contact someone, just bloody do it there and then.
Alongside Neil in the Scottish Parliament worked a young Alex Cole-Hamilton. He paid tribute to Neil tonight. Here’s the press release in full:
The Scottish Liberal Democrats regret to report that our friend and former colleague Neil Mackinnon has died suddenly and unexpectedly.
Neil worked for the Scottish Liberal Democrats in the press office for the period from before the establishment of the Scottish Parliament in 1999 until 2009. After leaving Holyrood he went on to enjoy a career with the Edinburgh Fringe, and then as a project manager first with HMRC and then the UK Government.
Neil was a familiar figure to those working in Scottish politics, especially at Holyrood and will be sorely missed.
He died last week suddenly and unexpectedly. Formal legal processes still need to be undertaken before any further news or announcements can be made.
The leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:
“Neil was a fierce defender of liberalism and he was our friend. An important voice in the early days of the Scottish Parliament, Neil was liked immensely across the political spectrum and throughout the press pack.
Conservative Leadership Race: Candidates have spent years defending the indefensible
Badenoch’s maternity pay comment: Another example of Tory sleaze and scandal
Cole-Hamilton addresses King at 25 years of the Scottish Parliament event
Conservative Leadership Race: Candidates have spent years defending the indefensible
Commenting after the four Conservative leadership candidates spoke with Trevor Phillips, ahead of the Conservative Party Conference, Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper MP said:
As James Cleverly said himself, people wanted the Conservatives out of Government and this dire set of candidates has made it crystal clear why.
From the Conservative’s Partygate and PPE scandals to their disastrous mini budget, every one of the Conservative’s leadership candidates has spent years defending the indefensible.
The British people have had enough of Conservative sleaze and scandal. They’ve had enough of seeing their health services and economy trashed. And that’s why so many former life-long Conservative voters backed the Liberal Democrats at the last election.
People want urgent action to fix the health and care crisis not Conservative leadership candidates sniping from the sidelines. That’s why Liberal Democrats are calling for a Budget to Save the NHS and Care and working day in day out to be the constructive opposition the country needs and deserves.
Badenoch’s maternity pay comment: Another example of Tory sleaze and scandal
After Kemi Badenoch’s comments on maternity pay earlier today, Liberal Democrat Women and Equalities Spokesperson Christine Jardine MP said:
It is this kind of out touch comment that shows yet again why the Conservatives got trounced at the last election.
The Conservative Party should focus also on championing policies that support British families, rather than the constant Tory sleaze and scandal we’ve become all too familiar with.
The Liberal Democrats’ proposals would give new parents the choice and flexibility they need, including boosting statutory pay for new parents, and a new ‘dad month’ to help more fathers take time off work to be with their new baby during the first year.
Cole-Hamilton addresses King at 25 years of the Scottish Parliament event
Speaking as he addressed Their Majesties The King and Queen to mark 25 years since the opening of the Scottish Parliament, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:
Cole-Hamilton responds to Scottish Conservative leadership news
Council opposition “must be final nail in coffin” for care service takeover
Cole-Hamilton responds to Scottish Conservative leadership news
Responding to the election of Russell Findlay as Scottish Conservative leader, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said:
I’d like to congratulate Russell Findlay on being elected as Scottish Conservative leader. It’s going to be a hospital pass because his is a party in decline. He will also find it hard to escape his record of cheering on Liz Truss.
There will also be voters out there who were persuaded by Ruth Davidson but who barely recognise the Conservative Party today.
Scottish Liberal Democrats won more seats than the Scottish Conservatives at the last election, and just last night we scored an amazing and unexpected by-election victory in their heartlands of rural Perthshire. In huge swathes of Scotland, we’ve shown that we’re best placed to beat the SNP. Only we have a plan to bring down NHS waiting lists, get a fair deal for carers, help struggling pensioners, lift up Scottish education and grow our economy.
Better pay needed to resolve recruitment crisis in care
Cole-Hamilton responds to Eye Pavilion statement
Better pay needed to resolve recruitment crisis in care
Almost half of leaving care workers cite pay as key factor as Welsh Lib Dems call for creation of carers wage
The Welsh Liberal Democrats have proposed the creation of a new carers wage in Wales, to help resolve the current recruitment crisis amongst care workers.
Speaking in the Senedd on Tuesday, Welsh Lib Dem leader Jane Dodds urged the Welsh Government to adopt proposals which would see care workers receive a £2 an hour pay increase on top of the …
Winter Fuel Payments: Hundreds of thousands more pensioners set to lose out
NHS Scotland Stop Smoking Services fall short of target
Cole-Hamilton challenges Health Secretary to tackle cancer crisis
Worst ever homelessness figures on the SNP’s watch
Jardine responds to GB Energy Aberdeen announcement
Cole-Hamilton demands action on Highlands care home closures
Just 3.2% of acid attacks in London have resulted in charge this year
Winter Fuel Payments: Hundreds of thousands more pensioners set to lose out
Responding to the latest Winter Fuel Payment statistics showing that there was a 214,000 increase in the number of recipients of the payments in the winter of 2023/24 compared to the previous year, Liberal Democrat Work and Pensions spokesperson Steve Darling MP said:
Hundreds of thousands more pensioners are now set to lose out on these desperately needed payments that protect so many from having to choose between heating and eating.
Cutting these payments for pensioners, which include millions who are just scraping by and are now worried about how they will get through the winter, is totally wrong.
It is not too late for this new government to change course and Liberal Democrat MPs will push them every step of the way to reverse these cuts and protect vulnerable pensioners this winter.
NHS Scotland Stop Smoking Services fall short of target
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader and health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has warned that efforts to deliver a smoke-free Scotland are falling short as new figures released today showed that NHS Scotland Stop Smoking services only achieved 74% of their target for helping people to stop smoking.
The new figures also reveal that only Western Isles and Dumfries & Galloway met their yearly targets. NHS Shetland and NHS Borders achieved less than 50% of their yearly targets, with Lothian, Lanarkshire and fife also performing poorly.
Cole-Hamilton calls for statement on eye hospital closure
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader, health spokesperson and MSP for Edinburgh Western Alex Cole-Hamilton has today called for the Scottish Government to deliver a statement in the Scottish Parliament on the closure of the Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion.
It was announced last week that the Eye Pavilion, which provides ophthalmic care across Edinburgh and the Lothians, will close temporarily from Monday 28th October for six months while works on the plumbing system are carried out.
Campaigners including Mr Cole-Hamilton have long pushed for a replacement for the 55 year old Eye Pavilion building. However this replacement …
National debt: The Conservatives trashed the economy
McArthur responds to health committee’s summary of assisted dying consultation responses
Cole-Hamilton: We should empower communities to help tackle antisocial driving
National debt: The Conservatives trashed the economy
Responding to the national debt reaching 100% of GDP for the first time in decades, Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said:
Today’s figures are yet more proof of the terrible state in which the previous Conservative government left our public finances.
Even though the Conservatives trashed our economy, the government can’t use that as an excuse to make the wrong decisions, such as cutting winter fuel payments and leaving vulnerable pensioners worried about the cold months ahead.
Ministers must take action to repair our public finances in a fair way, by asking big banks, the oil and gas giants and global social media corporations to pay their fair share of tax.
McArthur responds to health committee’s summary of assisted dying consultation responses
Responding to the Health Committee publishing a summary of responses received in response to its call for evidence on Liam McArthur’s Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill, which shows that a majority of respondents were supportive of the bill, Mr McArthur said:
Improving maternity care must be a key priority for the new government
Rennie responds to new Audit Scotland college report
Cole-Hamilton urges First Minister to act on antisocial driving
Cole-Hamilton attacks “vast” pay off to water industry boss
Improving maternity care must be a key priority for the new government
Responding to the Care Quality Commission’s report into maternity care services, Liberal Democrat Health and Social Care Spokesperson, Helen Morgan said:
The ongoing postcode lottery of maternity care must end. That means raising standards across the board and making sure that no mother or baby is put at unnecessary risk.
Unsafe staffing levels and practices can have tragic consequences, as so many families across the country have experienced first hand.
Despite several reviews and inquiries, this new CQC report makes clear that much more progress needs to be made.
Improving maternity care must be a key priority for the new government as it seeks to address the broader crisis in our healthcare system.
Rennie responds to new Audit Scotland college report
Responding to a new Audit Scotland report which warns that colleges may not be able to offer the same learning experience to students as in the past and that further staff cuts are on the horizon, Scottish Liberal Democrat education spokesperson Willie Rennie said:
College budgets have been first in line for the axe for years now. Figures from the Scottish Funding Council show that the SNP cut resource funding for colleges by 4.8% in the 2024-25 budget, hot on the heels of a real-terms reduction in funding of 8.5% over the previous two financial years.
The SNP’s neglect of further education has contributed to our wider economic malaise and it makes clear that ministers do not see colleges, their staff and students as a priority.
Colleges have a key role to play in providing people with the skills they need to flourish in key sectors like insulating homes, food and drink, tourism, social care and nursery education.
Scotland won’t reach its economic potential without a thriving college sector.
Ed Davey unveils new Lib Dem frontbench team to champion “the people’s priorities”
Cole-Hamilton: For ten years the SNP have picked at the scab of their defeat
Ed Davey unveils new Lib Dem frontbench team to champion “the people’s priorities”
Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey has announced his new frontbench, as he calls on his party to champion the “people’s priorities” and “clean up the mess left by the Conservative government.”
The new frontbench announcement follows Ed Davey’s conference speech, where he set out the Liberal Democrat plan to be a “constructive opposition” holding the new government to account. Davey unveils his new team of spokespeople after the party won 72 seats at the general election, becoming the largest third party in the House of Commons in a hundred years.
Daisy Cooper remains as Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats, but will also now become the party’s Treasury Spokesperson, where she will focus on the cost-of-living crisis and holding the Government to account as it clears up the terrible economic mess left by the Conservative Party.
Helen Morgan, who became MP for North Shropshire in a historic by-election victory in 2021, now leads on Health and Social Care, the number one priority for the party that is championing access to GPs and dentists as well as support for unpaid carers.
Cole-Hamilton comments as Scotland marks ten years since Independence Referendum
Ed Davey speech: “Make the NHS winterproof”
In his speech to Liberal Democrat Conference in Brighton today, Leader Ed Davey will call on the Government to set up a new “Winterproof NHS Taskforce” to put an end to the annual winter crises in the health service.
With NHS chiefs warning that “this winter is likely to see urgent and emergency care services come under significant strain”, Ed Davey will urge the Government to “make this year the last winter crisis in our NHS”.
Last winter, ambulances across England collectively spent a total of 112 years waiting outside hospitals to hand patients over, according to official NHS figures. Between November 2023 and March 2024, 732,000 patients faced A&E waits of over 4 hours to be admitted, with 228,000 waiting more than 12 hours.
For the first time, the Taskforce would bring together a team of experts reporting directly to the Health Secretary, responsible for strengthening coordination across the NHS and allocating long-term funding and resources to prevent winter crises.
Over the past seven years, the Government has announced an average of £376 million of emergency funding each year to tackle the NHS winter crisis. Under the Liberal Democrat proposal, the new Taskforce would instead manage a ringfenced fund of £1.5 billion over the next four years, to build resilience in hospital wards, A&E departments, ambulance services and patient discharging.
This would allow integrated care boards and NHS Trusts to plan their budgets more efficiently to prevent winter crises, instead of just receiving emergency funding from the Government at the last minute.
Kira Collins You use the phrase “fiscal federalism” and “financial autonomy” but have not used the phase I had hoped to see that is drawn out of both: fiscal autonom...
Peter Martin @Iain,
"Without financial autonomy, political devolution is incomplete......."
The problem, from a macroeconomic perspective, is that full finan...
Gordon Lishman When I wrote 5.1 in the Constitution, my over-riding intention was to ensure that the mass Party had some rights in relation to overall strategy, which was an i...
Roland @nick Baird - “ or whether it was just a terrible mistake caused by a lack of attention and professionalism by the officers involved.”
I think this is th...
David Murray Typo: I first joined the Liberal Party in November 1966, almost 60 years ago this year !...
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