Willie Rennie insists liberalism will ‘dominate’ Scottish political map in the years ahead

LIBERALISM, not nationalism, will dominate Scottish politics in the years ahead, Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie claimed today.

In his New Year message, he said he found most Scots shared strong liberal values.

He said: “Most are not narrow nationalists, only interested in what advances a parochial ideology, but open to dialogue which serves the wider national interest.”

Mr Rennie admitted the Lib Dems’ UK coalition with the Conservatives was “uncomfortable” and acknowledged the party’s poor result in the Holyrood elections, when it secured just five MSPs.

He said: “In May, we were nearly wiped off the Scottish Parliamentary map. I got it. I understood why that happened.

“But I am convinced that liberalism, not nationalism, will dominate the Scottish political landscape in the years ahead. Our values are embedded in Scottish history and endure despite political setbacks.”