Nicol’s replacement has unenviable task

03/07/2008

Commenting on Nicol Stephen’s resignation as Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, Murdo Fraser MSP, Scottish Conservative Deputy Leader, said:

“Nicol Stephen is right to prize his family life above his political one and on a personal level we wish him all the best. And whilst he may have had some mild success in the Holyrood Chamber, it is clear that whoever does take on the mantle as Leader of Scotland’s fourth party has an enormous uphill task. The Liberal Democrats are a complete irrelevance in Scottish politics and there is no sign of that changing anytime in the foreseeable future.

“Averaging out the Scottish samples of recent UK opinion polls puts the Lib Dems on less than 14%, firmly in fourth place behind the Scottish Conservatives on more than 22%. Both Nicol Stephen and Nick Clegg failed to make any headway in their personal ratings, which contrasts sharply with Annabel Goldie and David Cameron – Annabel of course had a higher popularity rating than even Alex Salmond. The Lib Dem approach to the budget, where Tavish Scott whined and moaned his whole way through the process before tabling precisely no amendments, made a mockery of the minority government system.

“Just three years after they finished second in Scotland at the 2005 General Election, the Lib Dems are in electoral meltdown. Since that election they have had three UK leaders and will soon be on their third leader at Holyrood. Whoever takes on the mantle will face an almost impossible task to make the Lib Dems relevant to Scottish politics, which is now a three-horse race.”