Tag Archives: willie rennie

The Voice

In Full: Willie Rennie’s speech to Scottish Conference: We stand with the weak against the strong, and will use the power of government to tackle the social and economic injustices that limit freedom.

By The Voice | Sun 28th February 2016 - 2:26 pm

Willie Rennie must have been reading Lib Dem Voice because he opened his speech by quoting from Becca’s blog which we featured 10 days ago. He got in touch with her and she gave him permission to share her story.

He argued that it was time to see major investment in mental health and for it to be given party with physical health.

He also set out what the party would do with the £475 million generated for nurseries, schools, colleges and a pupil premium.

I want to talk to you about a new member of our party.

Becca Plenderleith.  She is a bright, intelligent and brave young woman.  We are fortunate to call her a fellow Liberal Democrat. She has given me permission to tell you this story.

What she did was something simple.  She told her story.  She wrote about her experience of the health service.

Only a few years ago she was suffering from depression and following a break up from her boyfriend she considered suicide.

What happened next is something that must be condemned to the past.
She was told by a doctor at accident and emergency that she was a drain on the NHS.

No support, no treatment, just a lecture.

But Becca is making a difference.  Making a difference by speaking out.

And the response is encouraging.

Every time I now mention mental health on a public platform the silent nods around the room fill me with hope.

Hope that the stigma is fading, hope that there is a growing demand for change, hope that this will lead to the unstoppable change to our NHS so that mental health is given the equal support it deserves.

Continue reading »
Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged and | 3 Comments
The Voice

Fit for the future: The new Scottish Party Political Broadcast

By The Voice | Wed 24th February 2016 - 6:25 pm

The new Scottish Party Political Broadcast is going out right now. It’s focused on the idea of putting a penny on tax for education and features parents from across Scotland talking about their experience of parenting, the challenges they face and their hopes for their children’s futures. Enjoy!

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Also tagged , and | 1 Comment
Caron Lindsay

Willie Rennie announces Scottish zero rate tax plan

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 17th February 2016 - 12:03 pm

Last night in his annual speech to the David Hume Institute, Willie Rennie set out plans for a plan to help low and middle income Scottish earners by introducing a zero rate band of tax to go beyond the raising of the tax threshold. Because he’s also announced a plan to raise income tax by 1p to secure a £475 million investment in education, this new tax plan is going to be revenue neutral.

Both Liberal Democrats and Labour have announced plans for a 1p rise in income tax. However, Liberal Democrats are focusing on what you would get for it – more college places, reversing education cuts, a pupil premium and more nursery education. Labour’s is so complex that everyone is talking about the tax part of it. Fair play to both, though, for actually trying to use the powers we have.

Under Willie’s zero rate plan, Liberal Democrats would build on our record in government when we increased the personal allowance by over £4,000, helping to lift more people on lower incomes out of tax. Tax revenues gained by investing in education and boosting business by closing the skills gap would create a zero-rate tax band.

Willie  contrasted the progressive Liberal Democrat proposals with George Osborne’s commitment to increase the Higher Rate threshold from £43,000 to £50,000 by 2020, giving record-breaking tax cuts to the richest and costing Scotland £400m.

He said:

Continue reading »
Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged , and | 5 Comments
Caron Lindsay

LibLink: Willie Rennie: SNP obduracy on using tax powers shows party is no champion of progressive politics

By Caron Lindsay | Thu 11th February 2016 - 2:45 pm

Willie Rennie’s ambition for better education and health services in Scotland has been clear and so has his ambition to use the tax raising powers given to the Scottish Parliament. His plan for a penny on income tax for an almost half billion investment in education to introduce the Pupil Premium, extend nursery education and reverse cuts to college and schools funding.

The SNP, having squealed blue murder for years about not having enough powers to do anything, fails to use them when they are given them.

Willie often says these days that the SNP “talk left and walk right” and he has written a damning critique of the SNP’s approach in the Herald.

As it was a Liberal Democrat Secretary of State who delivered these new tax powers, it is perhaps not surprising that we were the first to propose using them to transform education in Scotland. By putting a penny for education onto income tax bands, we would raise £475 million a year.

Willie’s proposals have brought outrage from SNP and Tories alike. Finance Minister John Swinney said he would rather sacrifice public sector jobs (which in turn affects the most vulnerable) than raise tax rates. The Resolution Foundation says a tax rise is progressive. Willie challenges the SNP:

Continue reading »
Posted in LibLink | Also tagged , , and | 17 Comments
Caron Lindsay

Dunfermline: 10 years on

By Caron Lindsay | Tue 9th February 2016 - 7:25 pm

I know exactly what I was doing 10 years ago tonight – knocking up in Rosyth, getting people to the polls in the Dunfermline by-election. There was a really good feeling in the air. Earlier in the afternoon, I’d been out and about in Dunfermline and people were beeping at us as they drove by, or giving us thumbs up signs. It started to feel as though we might pull off an historic victory in Gordon Brown’s back yard. The BBC certainly didn’t. When they initially announced the result, their graphic said “Labour hold” around a live feed of Willie Rennie talking about the political earthquake that the voters of Dunfermline brought about.

Willie has put a video on Facebook showing some images of the night:

Ten years ago today I won the Dunfermline and West Fife By-election. A surprise but wonderful victory. Inspiration for the battles ahead. Here's a little trip down memory lane.

Posted by Willie Rennie on Tuesday, 9 February 2016

Continue reading »
Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged , , and | 12 Comments
The Voice

Willie Rennie: Why I need you to back me on diversity

By The Voice | Thu 4th February 2016 - 4:47 pm

Willie Rennie has made clear that he wants to see a more diverse team of parliamentarians elected at all levels over the next 5 years. Today, he has emailed Scottish Party members to set out the case for them to back his plans at Scottish Party Conference in three weeks’ time.

His email is copied below:

In periods of adversity organisations have opportunities to renew, refresh and reorganise to prepare for future successes. For the Scottish Liberal Democrats that opportunity is to build a team of candidates in winnable seats that is more reflective of society.

It cannot be a mark of a system of equality and opportunity that only five of the thirty six new parliamentarians in the last twenty years were women. Yet that is what our current system has produced and I am determined to change it.

Our conference in Edinburgh later this month will have a choice. We can try, yet again, to achieve more balance amongst our future parliamentarians with the same system that has delivered white, male dominated parliamentary groups since the war (No, I’m wrong. It’s forever).

Or we can back the proposals that I have developed with a group of wise and experienced campaigners. These campaigners were sceptical but have now developed a package that will get results. Sheila Ritchie, Sophie Bridger, Fred Macintosh and Jo Swinson were all against such action in the past. In fact many spoke up at conferences against such measures. The motion we will debate has been crafted by them and has their endorsement.

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Also tagged and | 15 Comments
Caron Lindsay

Rennie to SNP: Are you conservative or progressive?

By Caron Lindsay | Sun 31st January 2016 - 10:25 am

Willie Rennie will challenge the SNP in a parliamentary debate on their budget this week to actually use the powers that are coming the Scottish Parliament’s way and raise the rate of income tax to pay for a £475m investment in education. The SNP, of course, are holding out for independence and have no intention of showing that the powers they have can make a huge difference. In their 9 years in office, they’ve not even used the tax-raising powers that came to Scotland with devolution in 1999.

Willie’s penny on tax for education is a bold move. Saying you’ll put up taxes is a risk for a party in our position, but this is no time to play it safe. Anyway, just from talking to people, I think that there is a sense that you get what you pay for and if you want world class public services, you need to put money into them.

Willie said:

Liberal Democrats will be using this debate to challenge the SNP to show whether they are conservative or progressive, whether they’ll keep talking left but walking right.

Liberal Democrats are the only ones calling for Parliament to actually use the new powers we’ll get in April. Why wait? There is no point in sitting around, twiddling our thumbs, when we could make a real difference to the life chances of Scots.

Continue reading »
Posted in News and Op-eds | Also tagged , and | 10 Comments
Caron Lindsay

Rennie: Only a strong team of Lib Dems can champion our civil liberties

By Caron Lindsay | Sat 30th January 2016 - 6:21 pm

Speaking at the party’s North East Scotland Regional Conference this morning Willie Rennie told members that over the last five years it has been the Liberal Democrats that have been the powerful guarantor of civil liberties in the face of the illiberal SNP, and that will continue in the next Parliament.

This is the latest in a series of strong messages that Willie has been laying out in the last couple of weeks. The party has put a massive emphasis on civil liberties and education (what a surprise for a liberal party) in this Parliament and has an admirable record of persuading the SNP to change policy whether it’s on stop and search, armed police, nursery education or college places. So, Willie is saying we’ll actually use the tax powers the Parliament has to put a penny on income tax to pay for education and that we’ll continue to defend our freedoms. I also liked the quick summary of our values that he did the other day:

I want liberal-minded Yes voters to know they can vote for the Liberal Democrats because Scotland needs strong liberal voices in parliament to stand up for investment in opportunity through education and good health, to guarantee our civil liberties and to protect our environment. We need a strong outward-looking, internationalist, altruistic, tolerant, reformist, pro civil liberties, pro-Europe, pro-environment, pro-business party in Scotland. You don’t get that with anyone else and Yes voters as well as No voters should back us if they want that platform.

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Also tagged and | 1 Comment
The Voice

Willie Rennie’s penny on tax for biggest investment in Scottish education since devolution

By The Voice | Wed 27th January 2016 - 11:51 am

Willie and ACH on nursery visit

Finally, someone is actually planning on using the new tax-varying powers given to Scotland. Willie Rennie has made a big announcement on education this morning. He intends cleaning up the mess the SNP have made in education with 4 radical measures, paid for by a modest rise in income tax which will not affect anyone who earns £19,000 a year or less.

That £475 million investment will include the Lib Dem Pupil Premium, already successful in England and, thanks to Kirsty Williams, in Wales. That’s all about giving extra money to disadvantaged kids in school. Then there’s investment in nurseries and colleges, as well as a reversal of the SNP’s education cuts.

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Also tagged , , and | 16 Comments
Caron Lindsay

Willie Rennie to make major announcement on education tomorrow

By Caron Lindsay | Tue 26th January 2016 - 6:30 pm

It’s 99 days to go till the Scottish election and Willie Rennie is making a major policy announcement tomorrow. He will be launching his “plan to save Scottish Education.”

He’ll be visiting an Edinburgh nursery tomorrow where he’ll be laying out what is being described as a “bold, costed plan.”

He is expected to say:

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Also tagged and | 4 Comments
Caron Lindsay

Willie Rennie takes on Sturgeon and Amazon over low wages and poor working conditions

By Caron Lindsay | Sun 24th January 2016 - 4:20 pm

Willie Rennie has gained the backing of the Scottish Trades Union Congress for is stance on low wages and poor working conditions at Amazon’s depot in his Fife constituency. He’s also challenged Nicola Sturgeon over massive grants paid to the giant company when they treat their employees so badly.

From the Sunday Mail:

But Rennie said Amazon shouldn’t receive any more money until they increases employees’ pay to the “living wage” of £8.25 an hour – deemed to be the minimum income necessary for workers to meet their basic needs.

The Scottish Lib Dems leader said: “The slipshod manner in which the Government have handled Amazon is embarrassing.

“The SNP have paid them millions of pounds in grants, even though they have been avoiding tax and paying workers low wages.

There is little point in Roseanna Cunningham visiting Amazon now unless she gets them to pay more tax and pay higher wages.

Continue reading »
Posted in News and Op-eds | Also tagged , and | 5 Comments
NewsHound

LibLink: Willie Rennie: Scottish Tories are a referendum themed tribute act, draped in union flag, singing Rule Britannia

By NewsHound | Sat 23rd January 2016 - 11:15 am

Willie Rennie has written a scathing attack on the Scottish Conservatives for the Scotsman newspaper. He accused Ruth Davidson’s party of being nothing but a “referendum themed tribute act.”

In contrast, he set out a strong statement of the values the Liberal Democrats stood for:

I want liberal-minded Yes voters to know they can vote for the Liberal Democrats because Scotland needs strong liberal voices in parliament to stand up for investment in opportunity through education and good health, to guarantee our civil liberties and to protect our environment. We need a strong outward-looking, internationalist, altruistic, tolerant, reformist, pro civil liberties, pro-Europe, pro-environment, pro-business party in Scotland. You don’t get that with anyone else and Yes voters as well as No voters should back us if they want that platform.

The Tories are trying to portray themselves as the true guardians of the union, trying to characterise Labour and Liberal Democrats as flimsy at best because we won’t chuck independence supporters out of our parties.

Willie says that the Tories and the SNP are feeding off each other and trying to continue the independence debate when Scotland’s focus needs to be on its own public services:

Continue reading »
Posted in LibLink | Also tagged , and | 3 Comments
Caron Lindsay

Rennie: Scotland’s children should benefit from the Pupil Premium

By Caron Lindsay | Fri 22nd January 2016 - 8:55 am

Willie Rennie is up in Aberdeen today, speaking to the local Chamber of Commerce. A major theme of his speech is the need to improve education. Schools budgets in Scotland are really struggling after 9 years of a Council Tax freeze.

Liberal Democrats have implemented the Pupil Premium in England and successfully made the case for it in Wales. Scotland is still lagging behind, despite a growing attainment gap.

Willie will say:

To get fit for the future our children and young people deserve the best education.

Just look at the reports from recent weeks: the OECD has warned that Scottish education is slipping from our world-beating position; the Scottish Government has missed its targets for early education for 2-year-olds by 75%; and more than 150,000 college places have been lost under the SNP.

And now the SNP have singled out local education authorities for a £500million cut to their budgets.

We can’t stand by and watch the destruction of education in Scotland.

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Also tagged , and | 4 Comments
Caron Lindsay

SNP “talk left but act right” says Willie Rennie in first leaders’ debate

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 20th January 2016 - 1:32 pm

The first leaders’ debate of the Scottish election campaign took place in Dundee this week. Liberal Democrat Willie Rennie faced SNP First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Labour’s Kezia Dugdale, Conservative Alex Johnstone (standing in for leader Ruth Davidson) and Patrick Harvie.

He strongly attacked the SNP’s record, saying, according to the Evening Telegraph:

Nicola presents herself as an anti-austerity party but look at her record in comparison with George Osborne.

She wants to match him on the income tax, she wants to undercut him on air passenger duty and she is undercutting him on the council tax.

This is not an anti-austerity party, they talk left but act right. They need to match up their record with their rhetoric.

This is consistent with what he’s been saying for some time. In December, the SNP Government were forced into yet another humiliating freedom of information climbdown as they had to release a memo from Nicola Sturgeon’s poverty advisor which highlighted that the SNP’s universal benefits disproportionately helped the better off. At that time, Willie said:

Continue reading »
Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged , and | 12 Comments
The Voice

The Lib Dem week in Scotland

By The Voice | Fri 8th January 2016 - 1:35 pm

st Andrews flag saltire scotland Some rights reserved by Fulla TWelcome to our weekly roundup of what the Scottish Liberal Democrats, led by Willie Rennie, have been getting up to. This week, our MSPs have had a lot to say about flooding, policing, A & E waiting times “Thatcherite” testing, housing and fostering. Oh, and Alex Cole-Hamilton and Edinburgh West are back, bigger than ever.

The week started with Willie Rennie’s Bright, green, liberal vision:

I will set out why four key liberal values should be at the heart of the next parliamentary session. They are that every individual should be free to achieve their potential, that we should stand with the weak against the strong, that power is safer when it is shared and that we are trustees of the world and must pass on a sustainable legacy.

Flooding: when will the SNP Government help?

Alison McInnes criticised the Scottish government’s lack of response to the flooding in the North East:

Continue reading »
Posted in A weekly catchup and Scotland | Also tagged , , , and | 1 Comment
Caron Lindsay

Willie Rennie on the four key Liberal Democrat values and the Lib Dem record of achievement

By Caron Lindsay | Tue 5th January 2016 - 9:45 pm

Willie Rennie put in a strong first day at work and set out the ideas on which the Scottish Liberal Democrats will fight the election in just 4 months’  time.

 

Willie Rennie values

He firstly intervened on the First Minister whose government promised to give 27% of 2 year olds nursery education. They’ve managed barely half that.

Before the First Minister moves on from education, new official Government figures show that only 7 per cent of two-year-olds are receiving nursery education. The First Minister’s promise was that 27 per cent would. How can she talk about a revolution in education and in childcare when she cannot even meet her timid plans?

Continue reading »
Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged , and | 3 Comments
The Voice

Willie Rennie sets out the case for a bright, green, liberal Scotland

By The Voice | Mon 4th January 2016 - 11:25 am

Willie Rennie factoryWillie Rennie kicks off election year in Scotland by setting out the case for a bright, green liberal Scotland. Speaking on a visit to a factory in his Fife constituency, he said:

The last five years in the Scottish Parliament have been dominated by independence. The next five years should be dominated by a bright, green and liberal programme for Scotland:

With Scotland returning to work today it should signal a change of focus for our parliament: it’s time to get on with the day job.

Children and young people deserve a good quality education with nursery education and a pupil premium to give every child a chance of a good job.  Yet under the SNP, Scotland’s once proud education system has slipped in the world standing.

People deserve a good quality health service with better mental health services and more GPs.  Yet under the SNP there’s long waits to see a GP or get mental health treatment they need.

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Also tagged | 2 Comments
Caron Lindsay

Five New Year’s resolutions for Liberal Democrats #1

By Caron Lindsay | Fri 1st January 2016 - 1:35 pm

So, it’s the morning after the New Year parties. Everyone else in my house, including the dog, is sleeping off a fun evening of Monopoly in which the two teenagers comprehensively bankrupted the adults over some seven hours. I therefore have time to suggest a few New Year’s Resolutions for Liberal Democrats to see us through 2016.

Don’t let anyone put us in the corner

I don’t know about you, but I am done with caution and contrition. Sure, we were in government for a few years and we seriously screwed a few things up. You’d think we were the only party ever to make mistakes, but we also did a lot of good things for good, liberal reasons. It was our Deputy PM who insisted that a judge-led enquiry investigate phone hacking when the Tories wanted to sweep it under the carpet. It was our Business Minister who brought in shared parental leave. It was our schools minister who gave extra money to disadvantaged kids in school. It was our Climate Change Secretary who faced down the Tories and made sure money was put into renewable energies. It was our Health Minister who started the long job of reforming appallingly poor mental health services which left many without the treatment they needed. Whatever you might think of Nick Clegg and Danny Alexander, the Tories’ recent welfare proposals show exactly what they would have stopped. It took a while for Nick Clegg to come round to the idea that Theresa May’s Snooper’s Charter was ridiculous, but once he got there he stood firm, for years. Oh, and there’s the small matter of protecting human rights legislation, too.

Continue reading »
Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged , , and | 12 Comments
Willie Rennie

Willie Rennie’s New Year Message: Let’s unite Scotland with a positive liberal message

By Willie Rennie | Thu 31st December 2015 - 6:00 am

So what can we look forward in 2016? The Forth Road Bridge’s continued opening (we hope). Scots athletes excelling as part of Team GB at the Rio Olympics. Andy Murray mounting another challenge at Wimbledon.

And the small matter of a Scottish Parliament election that will set the direction of the country for five years.

As ever, at this election voters face a choice.

They can choose five more years of constitutional division and grievances with the SNP who have failed to protect crucial services.

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Also tagged and | Leave a comment
Willie Rennie

Willie Rennie’s Christmas message: Reach out to those suffering mental ill health

By Willie Rennie | Thu 24th December 2015 - 8:59 am

The innocence of the young is one of the great joys of Christmas. It is the job of the political leaders to protect that innocence from the, sometimes ugly, world around us.

The scale of the challenge that the international community faces in Syria cannot be understated. We have seen the impact of the conflict on our television screens and the beaches of the Mediterranean.

But where there is darkness there is also light.  The response across the globe to the Paris attacks was uplifting. Singing together at the football, standing together on the streets and even the United Nations speaking together with one voice showed that we are at one against Daesh.

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Also tagged | 1 Comment
The Voice

Rennie calls for emergency summit on alcohol pricing

By The Voice | Wed 23rd December 2015 - 2:00 pm

Today the European Court of Justice ruled that minimum alcohol pricing is contrary to EU law if other tax options exist.

From the BBC:

A legal challenge was brought by the SWA, which argued the Scottish government’s legislation breached European law.

The European court ruling said: “The Court of Justice considers that the effect of the Scottish legislation is significantly to restrict the market, and this might be avoided by the introduction of a tax measure designed to increase the price of alcohol instead of a measure imposing a minimum price per unit of alcohol.”

It added: “The court states that it is ultimately for the national court to determine whether measures other than that provided for by the Scottish legislation, such as increased taxation on alcoholic drinks, are capable of protecting human life and health as effectively as the current legislation, while being less restrictive of trade in those products within the EU.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie called for an emergency summit to review options:

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Also tagged and | 21 Comments
Caron Lindsay

Willie Rennie’s concern for “knackered” Fife commuters

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 16th December 2015 - 11:02 am

Two weeks into the closure of the Forth Road Bridge, Willie Rennie has told the Scottish Transport Minister that more needs to be done to support commuters who are facing delays of up to two hours each way in their daily commute.

He quoted some of the problems people are facing:

I drive from Dalgety Bay to Bo’ness and have found myself getting frustrated by being forced into huge queues over Clackmannan bridge then joining light traffic coming over Kincardine. My mileage has also been trebled which is an issue financially. Surely it would make sense to allow cars to use the A985 from 7.00pm to 6.00am and all weekend as a starting point to ease local residents misery on this.”

“My main problem is time -up at 4.40 and leave work at 15.15. Travelling 4 hours.”

“Absolute disaster and a total shambles. Two weeks on and completely inadequate. Platforms overflowing. Insufficient coaches available to cater for the masses caught woefully short by the inadequacies caused by the Scottish Government. Increased cancellations. Promises not kept. People falling ill on overcrowded trains due to lack of space and resultant lack of ventilation. Cancellations. Delays.”

Willie is worried about the cumulative effects of these delays on travellers at a time of year when the dark nights and weather conditions don’t make for easy driving conditions. He said:

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Also tagged and | Leave a comment
Caron Lindsay

How Tim Farron and Willie Rennie are helping constituents cope with crisis

By Caron Lindsay | Thu 10th December 2015 - 1:05 pm

Posted by Tim Farron on Sunday, 6 December 2015

Willie Rennie and Tim Farron have seen the areas they represent in Parliament hit by catastrophe and challenging circumstances. In Cumbria, Storm Desmond and its aftermath has caused devastation that will take months to fully sort out. In Scotland, Willie Rennie’s constituents have been hit by the closure of the Forth Road Bridge and the loss of a route that takes 70,000 cars per day. It’s not expected to re-open until the New Year.

Both Willie and Tim do a phenomenal amount of work to stay in touch with the people they represent anyway, but I have been very impressed with the work that both of them are doing to help people affected by these events.

Willie’s Facebook page catalogues all the conversations and correspondence he’s had with the Transport Minister Derek Mackay. He wanted to make sure that he was properly reflecting people’s concerns and put together a survey so that they can tell him what’s going on.  Even before the end of the weekend, he had worked with the Minister to ensure that patients travelling from Fife for Chemo and Radiotherapy in Edinburgh were taken across the Bridge in ambulances rather than have to endure 11 mile tailbacks or take the huge risk of going on public transport, something that can be very dangerous if your immune system is compromised. He’s put a huge effort into keeping people informed. On a smaller scale, when he was MP, his Facebook page was the place here people looked to find out about school closures in that awful Winter of 2009. He is a hands-on representative who uses every method he can to find out what people need. You can see from his Facebook how he is working constructively with the Minister to get stuff done, putting forward his constituents’ suggestions and getting results.

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Also tagged , , and | 3 Comments
Caron Lindsay

Eileen McCartin to become President of Scottish Liberal Democrats

By Caron Lindsay | Tue 8th December 2015 - 4:45 pm

Eileen McCartin has been a Councillor in Paisley, first for the SDP and then the Liberal Democrats for some 27 years. She and former MP for Argyll and Bute Alan Reid were Willie Rennie’s “political parents” as they were key influences on him when he was a student in Paisley. They helped him when he achieved a cracking 26% in a by-election in the Paisley Foxbar ward in 1988. Willie talked to the Scotsman about it here and you get a sense of how that campaign shaped his values:

After school he applied to Paisley College to study ecology and land management. Living in a flat which cost just 14 a month rent and rates – and had no hot water or heating of any kind – made Rennie more keenly aware of the divide between the haves and have-nots. “I had to wash at the old swimming baths in Storey Street.” he recalls.

I’d been interested in some political stuff at school. I used to get agitated about environmental issues and so on. But this was different.” He was elected deputy president of the Student Union, and took a year’s sabbatical from his course. “Don’t be silly, vote for Willie” was the never-to-be-repeated slogan. But when he returned to his studies he found that “cell biology just wasn’t the same.” So he stood for council election in Paisley Foxbar in 1988.

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Also tagged , and | 1 Comment
NewsHound

LibLink: Willie Rennie: Our MPs will vote to extend military operations beyond Iraq

By NewsHound | Wed 2nd December 2015 - 6:28 pm

Willie Rennie has written for The National, Scotland’s independence supporting newspaper about why Liberal Democrat MPs are supporting airstrikes in Syria. That view is not likely to find many supporters amongst the National’s readers.

We agree with those who say further diplomatic progress is needed. It is vital the UK Government uses all efforts to support the Vienna peace talks and any military action by the UK must be part of an international effort involving all those who have an interest in defeating Daesh.

What we have seen in recent months is the emergence of a more coherent international approach towards a diplomatic solution in Syria that involves countries such as Iran and Russia for the first time. The last time the House of Commons voted on intervention in Syria in 2013, this was not the case. There are no easy answers on any question relating to whether UK forces should take part in military action.

Continue reading »
Posted in LibLink | Also tagged and | 12 Comments
The Voice

Willie Rennie’s message for St Andrew’s Day – a plea to help refugees

By The Voice | Mon 30th November 2015 - 8:55 am

Saltire and Forth BridgeToday is St Andrew’s Day. Here is Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie’s message to the people of Scotland:

Our Patron Saint was born in the village of Bethsaida, a short distance from the troubles in today’s Syria.  As we celebrate St Andrew’s day this year, millions of people across Syria and the Middle East need our help.

Last week I visited an Edinburgh charity which has been collecting clothes for refugees who have made the perilous journey from Syria to Europe.

In many respects they embody the values that St Andrew taught. Tolerance. Generosity. Openness. We need Scotland’s two governments to follow their example.

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Also tagged and | 5 Comments
The Voice

LibLink: Willie Rennie on St Andrew’s Day – “No Racism: Refugees Welcome Here”

By The Voice | Wed 25th November 2015 - 6:43 pm

Willie leader launch crouching in front of bridgeThe St Andrew’s Day Anti-Racism March and Rally will focus on refugees this year, under the theme No Racism: Refugees Welcome Here.  It will start at 10.30am from Glasgow Green. Willie Rennie has been explaining the importance of this year’s march to the Scottish Trade Unions Congress.

The refugee crisis is the biggest humanitarian challenge that Europe has faced since 1945. Our response to the crisis needs to match the scale of this challenge. And just as we speak out against racism, we need to ensure that we are challenging those who would see us ignore our obligation to help.
Continue reading »
Posted in LibLink | Also tagged and | 5 Comments
Newspuppy

Monday morning cheer – better than David Laws and Pingu

By Newspuppy | Mon 23rd November 2015 - 8:47 am

I hate this time of year. I do not like getting up in the dark, nor do I like it being dark before 4:30 pm. Cold weather, slippery pavements, driving rain, wind and all sorts of Winter nastiness conspire to make me want to hide away for 3 months, or run off to sunnier climes.  Maybe one of these days, I will.

To cheer you up this Monday morning, here is a picture that is guaranteed to make you smile. It’s even better than this old favourite:

David Laws and Pingu

 

Here’s Willie Rennie getting up close and personal with one of Canine Concern Scotland’s wonderful therapets. 

These therapets visit places like care homes and hospitals so that people who can’t have a pet full time can experience the companionship and comfort a dog can give.

Willie Rennie caught up with one:

Continue reading »
Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged , and | 5 Comments
Caron Lindsay

40% of Liberal Democrat MSPs win awards

By Caron Lindsay | Fri 20th November 2015 - 11:44 am

Last night the annual Scottish Politician of the Year Awards took place in the opulent surroundings of the Prestonfield House Hotel in Edinburgh.

Predictably, and deservedly, Nicola Sturgeon won the top award, Politician of the Year. However, it was great to see Willie Rennie and Alison McInnes both won. That means 2 out of the 5 Liberal Democrat MSPs finally got the recognition they deserved after a gruelling 5 years holding the SNP to account and winning significant policy changers.

Alison McInnes has done more than anyone else to force the SNP to change their minds. On stop and search, on armed police, on highlighting the many problems with the centralisation of Scotland’s police, she has been a true liberal champion. She won the Committee politician of the year.

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Also tagged and | 1 Comment
The Voice

“I realised my vote was not enough” – why Wendy Chamberlain joined #libdemfightback

By The Voice | Thu 29th October 2015 - 1:40 pm

One of the highlights of Scottish Liberal Democrat Conference last Saturday was seeing new member Wendy Chamberlain introduce Willie Rennie for his keynote speech.

This is what she said:

Firstly, may I offer my thanks to Sheila Thomson and the Conference Committee for asking me as a new party member to speak and introduce Willie to you to deliver his leader’s speech.

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Also tagged , and | 2 Comments
Advert

Recent Comments

  • Jason Connor
    The Greens, Lib Dems and Conservatives are all standing. They all see sense and believe in democratic choices....
  • Mick Taylor
    @Lawrence Cox. To read your comment one might want to believe that the Triple Lock has ensured pensioners have decent pensions. It hasn't and UK state pensions ...
  • Chloe
    A Blue Labour response recent events in Hampshire. Well worth a read. https://www.paulembery.com/p/for-the-race-obsessed-british-state...
  • theakes
    A new strategy/approach requires a new leader...
  • 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...