Scottish Lib Dem conference: ‘Voters will listen to us again’

LIBERAL Democrat leader Willie Rennie says the “mood has changed” among voters after the meltdown his party suffered in last May’s Holyrood election – but Scots have not forgotten the coalition pact with the Conservatives.

The Mid Scotland and Fife MSP faces his first major test since taking over from Tavish Scott as Scottish leader when voters head for the polls in the local council elections next month. He officially launched the Lib Dems’ campaign in Inverness yesterday.

The SNP’s landslide victory last May saw the Lib Dems reduced from 16 MSPs to just five, but the new leader insists voters are ready to “listen again” to the party’s message.

However, a new poll out yesterday predicted the party will lose all but seven of its 57 MPs at the next UK general election as popularity continues to dive.

“People are concerned that we’re in with the Conservatives,” Mr Rennie said. “They didn’t think we would do a deal with the Conservatives, but I know if we weren’t there it would be a damn sight worse.”

Mr Rennie insisted that the Lib Dems’ presence in the coalition has secured tax cuts for people on low and middle incomes, saying: “The Tories would never have done that.”

And added: “I know we’ve still got a lot of work to do, but I detect the mood has changed. People are prepared to listen to us again.”

Mr Rennie was joined by Highland Councillor Carolyn Caddick, who won the Inverness South by-election in November.

The Lib Dems have more than 150 councillors on 13 administrations throughout the country. Although Mr Rennie is refusing to set targets, it will be an achievement just to maintain this presence, with predictions of heavy losses as the knock-on from their role in the coalition, and the ongoing cuts, continue to provoke voter anger.

Mr Rennie added: “The next few years will present some tough challenges for local authorities to continue to provide the services we all rely on despite falling budgets.

“That is why Scotland needs competent councillors who have a record of action and can be trusted to do more with less.”

The Lib Dems were left with just three mainland MSPs after last May – prompting jibes at Holyrood that it was to be renamed the Orkney and Shetland party, as Liam McArthur and Mr Scott, who represent the islands, were the party’s only two remaining constituency MSPs.

A YouGov poll suggested that Lib Dem support continues to drop, with Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, Business Secretary Vince Cable and Treasury Secretary Danny Alexander – the Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey MP – on course to lose their seats in the next election.

Mr Rennie wants the local election campaign to focus on what the party has been doing at a local level. But that could focus attention on its leading role in the coalition running Edinburgh, which has overseen the trams fiasco in recent years, with the project subject to huge delays, budget overruns and major disruption across the city.

The Lib Dem leadership of Aberdeen City Council also took the brunt of public fury last year over plans to axe 900 jobs in the city. The council leadership has since fallen to the SNP.

But Mr Rennie insists that the Nationalists “ran away” from taking difficult decisions.

“The SNP is chasing after the referendum and are not prepared to take any difficult decisions,” he said. “We know that difficult decisions need to be made and are prepared to face up to them.”

The party has set out its national priorities as jobs, investment in education and the environment as well as taking care of the growing elderly population and access to care services.

Mr Rennie added: “Scottish Liberal Democrat councillors will not shy away from these challenges. We will confront them head on and get the best possible deal for communities across Scotland. Scottish Liberal Democrats have a record of action but promise much more in the years ahead.”

But Nationalists say the Lib Dems are fielding 84 fewer candidates than in 2007 – with about a quarter of all council defections in the last five years having come from the party.

“Even their own sitting councillors can’t wait to abandon the sinking ship,” said Kenny Gibson, the SNP convenor of Holyrood’s finance committee.

“It is clear that the Lib Dems have absolutely no confidence in the present leadership, and are well aware that voters haven’t forgiven them for allowing the Tories into power.”

He added: “Because the Lib Dems are propping up a Tory government at Westminster and helping them to slash services, many former Lib Dem voters are now voting SNP because of our ambition for a fairer Scotland.”

Labour chief whip James Kelly insisted the Lib Dems’ involvement in the Westminster coalition will “infuriate” Scots as the cuts continue to bite.

He said: “The local elections should be about local issues, but if Willie Rennie thinks the people of Scotland are in the mood to thank the coalition, they’ve got another thing coming.

“These comments, just days after 80,000 Scots have lost all their tax credits and 400,000 Scots face being hit with the ‘granny tax’, will infuriate people. The coalition is causing misery to millions and the sooner the Lib Dems leave, the faster their standing is likely to recover.”