Cole-Hamilton rules out coalition with SNP after next year’s Scottish election

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has “categorically” ruled out any potential coalition with the SNP after next year’s Holyrood election.

The Scottish Lib Dem leader was clear that no-one from his party would “take ministerial office in an SNP-led administration”.

Speaking to the Holyrood Sources podcast, Mr Cole-Hamilton dismissed suggestions his party could do a deal with the SNP to keep John Swinney in power.

The prospect of such a deal comes in the wake of polling which suggested the SNP could remain the largest party after the next Scottish Parliament elections in May 2026, but would fall short of an overall majority.

Analysis by elections expert Professor Sir John Curtice suggested the SNP could return 53 MSPs to Holyrood – with this 12 short of the 65 needed for a majority.

The data showed the Scottish Greens, who were previously in a power-sharing deal with the SNP, potentially winning 10 seats, which would still leave the pro-independence parties short.

With the Lib Dems possibly returning 12 MSPs, a deal with Mr Cole-Hamilton’s party would allow Mr Swinney to run a majority administration.

But referring to suggestions he could become deputy first minister under a deal between the two parties, the Scottish Liberal Democrat leader insisted: “Nothing could be further from the truth.

“No Liberal Democrat will take ministerial office in an SNP-led administration.”

He said that that was because “Scotland needs a change of government” with a different party in power – claiming that even SNP supporters were only voting for the party “grudgingly”.

However, Mr Cole-Hamilton – who recently agreed a deal to back the Scottish Government’s Budget for 2025-26 – stressed Liberal Democrats would “continue to act like grown-ups” if there is no overall majority after the next election.

The Liberal Democrat said: “No deputy first minister for me in an SNP administration.

“But, obviously, if they’re still the largest party, if they still hold power, we will get things done. We’ll work to find a way through.

“I think I can say that categorically.”