Wendy Chamberlain has been elected as Scottish Lib Dems Deputy Leader.

👏👏👏
Congratulations @wendychambLD https://t.co/goNkWMy6WT

— Liberal Democrats (@LibDems) December 3, 2021

She spoke to a gathering of party members in Edinburgh:

She said:

I am so excited, so proud to be here with you today as your new deputy leader.

The SNP are leading Scotland from crisis to crisis. It is clear that they care more about breaking up the UK, than educating children, providing good healthcare, or tackling climate change. I am proud to work with Alex, and Willie, Beatrice and Liam who are consistently demanding better.

It’s not all rosy in Westminster either. I’m not sure who the bigger threat to the future of the UK is now. The SNP or this Tory Government, which cannot escape its own poor decisions, u-turns or sleaze. But it is not the SNP, nor Labour, who have taken meaningful action on this standards issue. It is us. The Liberal Democrats. We are the party who demanded answers through my emergency debate application. We are the party who held the Government to account and forced action.

We know that only the Liberal Democrats offer a real alternative opposition to government. Whether that is the SNP in Holyrood, or the Conservatives in Westminster.

The Liberal Democrats were first to understand, the first to fight for properly devolved policy making. For policy making that really works for the people of Scotland, that ensures that powers and resources are deployed where they can be used to the greatest effect. And no other party has caught up.

We know that the Scottish people will get the best results when we work together. Differences must be respected, and we must all be equals around the table. Then and only then will policies on trade, on immigration, on the environment – things people really care about – then will they work for all the people of the UK.

Together we are greater than the sum of our parts. Together we can make change happen. Together we can provide New Hope.

When it comes to actual policies, and actual change, the Liberal Democrats are delivering. We want our country to thrive. To be strong. To be prosperous. And to be fair.

This is the vision we offer, and this is what I commit to fighting for as your deputy leader.

This comes after her fabulous debut on Question Time on Thursday. Here are some of her highlights:

“They are people we could be having working in our health service, in our social work, in our supply chains, and the government don’t allow them to work.”@WendychambLD says asylum seekers should be able to work while their claims are being processed. #bbcqt pic.twitter.com/Qyaag7h68f

— BBC Question Time (@bbcquestiontime) December 2, 2021

“We’re pulling the rug out from under them”

Liberal Democrat @WendychambLD says cuts to the UK’s foreign aid budget are impacting vaccine access abroad – which has ramifications at home. #bbcqt pic.twitter.com/yAbkkll7Cy

— BBC Question Time (@bbcquestiontime) December 2, 2021

On #SmallBizSatUK @WendyChamLD is supporting small businesses in St Andrews and Leven.

The Conservatives' broken tax promise is going to hit small businesses hard at a time when they are still struggling. pic.twitter.com/1rrd7ha1y3

— Liberal Democrats (@LibDems) December 4, 2021

With the Tories is one rule for you, no rules for them.#bbcqt pic.twitter.com/Ya9yRhpPc0

— Liberal Democrats (@LibDems) December 2, 2021

The Conservatives' broken tax promise is going to hit small businesses hard at a time when they are still struggling.#bbcqt pic.twitter.com/Y8sgCtF1E1

— Liberal Democrats (@LibDems) December 2, 2021

You can watch the whole programme here.

* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings