Lib Dem leader to ask voters to back party on regional ballot

The Scottish Liberal Democrats leader is expected to call on voters to back the party on the regional voting ballot for the Scottish election next year.

Alex Cole-Hamilton will use his speech to the party’s autumn conference in Glasgow to urge voters to back Scottish Liberal Democrats on the “peach” regional ballot at next year’s election.

Mr Cole-Hamilton is expected to say: “The opportunity is such that we could be standing on the threshold of a historic breakthrough for our party across Scotland.

“But that breakthrough is not inevitable, we are going to have to work for every single vote.

“Our message is unapologetically positive, it speaks of a renewed confidence in our party, with more councillors, a record number of MPs, and a vision for change with fairness at its heart.

“While we have so much to offer the voting public, we have an ask of them as well.”

He is expected to say that many will think he is “obsessed with peaches” as he calls for the public to back the Liberal Democrats on the second regional peach ballot paper.

Every voter has two votes to elect candidates to the Scottish Parliament – the constituency vote and the regional list vote. The peach vote elects the “additional members” for the eight electoral regions.

Parties are allocated a number of MSPs depending on how many votes they receive, once the number of constituencies already won in that region is taken into account. This is with the aim to make the overall result more proportional.

Mr Cole-Hamilton continues: “You are going to get sick of hearing me talk about a certain type of fruit. You’re going to think I’m obsessed with peaches.

“Because I will use every broadcast, podcast and print media interview between this day and polling day to appeal for people to back us on that second, peach regional ballot paper.

“We’ve built citadels in our constituencies because local people trust us to get stuff done. We are poised to win against the SNP in new seats across Scotland. And now, for the first time in more than a decade, we are poised to break through on the regional lists.

“That matters so much. It could make the difference between a good night for our party and an absolutely stonking, breakthrough of a night.

“In our canvassing, at election hustings, in broadcast and media interviews we will remind people again and again.

“You have two votes and in seats across Scotland we are poised to beat the SNP, but wherever you are a vote for the Liberal Democrats on that second, peach regional ballot will deliver you change with fairness at its heart and a hardworking regional Lib Dem MSP.

“Daniel O’Malley, Claire McLaren, Duncan Dunlop, Morven-May MacCallum, Paul McGarry, Jane Alliston-Pickard, and Yi-Pei Chou Turvey. If we ask for the peach vote on every door, we can send each of them to Parliament.”

The Scottish Liberal Democrats conference will take place in Glasgow on October 18.