The leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats yesterday spoke of a need to firmly position his party in the centre of the political spectrum ahead of the 2016 elections.
Speaking at a Scottish Council For Development and Industry conference yesterday in Aberdeen, Willie Rennie outlined his plans for the future of the Lib Dems presence in Holyrood.
In his speech, he described his party’s presence in Scottish Parliament as being firmly rooted in the middle ground, to provide voters with an alternative to the right wing views of the Scottish Conservatives, and the left-leaning views of Scottish Labour and the SNP.
And after a crushing defeat in May’s general election, Mr Rennie vowed that he and his party will do all they can to retain as many of their five MSPs as possible at next year’s Scottish Parliament elections.
Mr Rennie said: “I want to set out the path for the Liberal Democrats following May’s results.
“I want to set out that we will not veer off to the left or the right but stay the course that has rooted my party in the radical, liberal centre ground throughout its history.”
He went on to explore the consequences of the current Labour leadership contest for his party in Scotland.
Mr Rennie added: “Whether Jeremy Corbyn wins or not, it is abundantly clear that the Labour party is heading leftwards and, in Scotland, will embark on a fight to the death with the SNP to be the dominant force on the socialist left.
“And the Conservatives, being true to their path, are taking the government further to the right without the restraint and radicalism of the Liberal Democrats.
“In Scotland, they are showing every indication that they will use the new taxation and welfare powers to propose a right wing shift here as well.
“The need for a radical, liberal centre ground force in politics has never been greater.”
As well as reaffirming his attitude to the Lib Dem’s politically balanced viewpoint, Mr Rennie also took the time to remind the audience of his party’s dedication to defend the vulnerable: “We are for social justice.
“We want a country where people stand for and with their neighbours, those less well off, those who are held back by their circumstances.
“In short, we are for aspirational Scots with a social conscience.”