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07 Sept 2025
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07 Sept 2025
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Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton says his party can “win back the Highlands” from the SNP at the 2026 election, and such a victory would be the “story of the night”.
He spoke at the party’s spring conference in Inverness, a day after dramatically revealing new Lib Dem MSP Jamie Greene, saying “others are set to follow” his decision to leave the Tories.
Mr Greene’s defection means the Lib Dems now have five MSPs and the party will be pushing for more parliamentary time as a result.
Giving a speech towards the end of the conference, Mr Cole-Hamilton said he would shortly be driving across Europe to Ukraine as part of a convoy of five ambulances being donated to the country.
Other politicians, including Lib Dem MP Angus MacDonald and Scottish Labour MSP Paul Sweeney, will also be part of the convoy.
Addressing supporters in Inverness, Mr Cole-Hamilton said the party now has its sights on three seats in the Highlands of Scotland.
He said Lib Dem analysis of the general election results showed these three seats – Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch; Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, and Inverness and Nairn – all falling to the Lib Dems.
Referring to the incumbent MSPs, he said: “Kate Forbes, Maree Todd, Fergus Ewing. Three current and former SNP ministers.
“We are coming. We can win those seats.
“And conference, that would be the story of the night – Scottish Liberal Democrats winning back the Highlands.”
Discussing his journey to Ukraine, he said: “When we leave this conference hall, Angus MacDonald and I will begin a 2,000-mile journey. Driving overland through Europe, through the night.
“Together we will deliver a convoy of five ambulances to the people of Ukraine.
“The American president may abandon Ukraine, but we as liberals will not.”
The Edinburgh Western MSP said Mr Greene’s decision to join the Lib Dems was “one of the bravest and most principled acts I have seen in Scottish politics”.
He said: “Jamie has found safe harbour in our movement, he is so welcome, and mark my words conference, others are set to follow.”
Mr Cole-Hamilton concluded his speech by urging supporters to keep “elbows up” – a Canadian phrase meaning being ready to fight.
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