We would back Labour to oust SNP, says Lib Dem leader

The leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats has said his party would back Labour if there is an opportunity to oust the SNP.

Alex Cole-Hamilton ruled out working with either the Tories or Reform UK after the May 7 poll, but did not say the same about potentially working with Anas Sarwar’s party.

Under the terms the Lib Dem leader set out, Labour would have to win substantially more seats than current polling – which is suggesting the party could struggle to return 20 MSPs.

Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland on Wednesday, Mr Cole-Hamilton said: “We’ve been very clear that for all of the questions that Scotland currently faces, the answer to none of them is a third decade of SNP administration.

“Why? Because we think they’re asleep at the wheel.”

He added: “There’s no pact or alliances with Labour – I’m focused on getting as many MSPs as possible.

“If there’s an opportunity to change the government in Scotland, I think we have an obligation to look at that.

“It doesn’t mean forming a formal coalition or anything like that, but I make no apology for that – we roll up our sleeves, we work with others when we can and we get stuff done.”

Asked if he would back Mr Sarwar to be first minister, the Lib Dem leader said: “If there’s an opportunity to unseat the SNP which shares our values, we will look seriously at that, but I’m not going to make a commitment.”

Asked if he would back Reform UK or the Tories, Mr Cole-Hamilton firmly said he would not.

SNP candidate Maree Todd hit out at the Lib Dem leader’s comments, saying: “Labour has hammered rural Scotland with sky-high heating bills, soaring petrol prices and a crippling family farm tax, yet Alex Cole-Hamilton would give them a leg-up into Bute House – that isn’t putting our Highland communities first, it is a kick in the teeth to families across the region.

“It is beyond belief that the Lib Dems would consider installing a Labour government after they treated the Highlands and islands as an afterthought for decades and with them engulfed in scandal and chaos amidst the Peter Mandelson affair.”

If current polling comes to fruition, the votes of Reform UK and Tory MSPs would likely be required to install Mr Sarwar in Bute House, which Ms Todd said would be “unthinkable” for the Lib Dems.

“There is nothing liberal or democratic about working with Nigel Farage’s right-wing party,” she said.

“People across Scotland will be wondering just how far the Lib Dems have sunk.”