Scottish Liberal Democrats Confident of Historic Holyrood Performance
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has declared he is "having the time of my life" during the Holyrood election campaign, expressing strong optimism about his party's prospects in the upcoming May 7 vote. The party believes it can achieve its best-ever result at the Scottish Parliament, potentially surpassing previous coalition-era successes.
Ambitious Electoral Targets Set
The Scottish Lib Dems have set ambitious goals for the Holyrood elections, targeting victory in 10 constituency seats while also aiming to return an MSP in all eight regional list areas. If successful, this would mean electing 18 MSPs – a result that would exceed the party's previous high of 17 MSPs achieved in both 1999 and 2003 when they formed a coalition government with Scottish Labour.
Mr Cole-Hamilton told the Press Association: "We're coming into this election off the back of our best general election result in 100 years, we trebled our seats in Scotland, we overtook the Tories and we came within touching distance of the SNP." The party's confidence stems from their performance in the 2024 UK general election, where they won six Scottish constituencies, surpassing the Conservatives and narrowing the gap with the SNP.
Unconventional Campaign Approach
The Liberal Democrat leader has pursued an energetic and unconventional campaign strategy, combining traditional door-knocking with creative photo opportunities designed to capture public attention. Mr Cole-Hamilton has sped down the River Clyde in a speedboat, played tennis with UK party leader Sir Ed Davey, created mocktails with peaches to highlight the peach-coloured regional ballot paper, and participated in dance classes.
"I have been having the time of my life," the Scottish Liberal Democrat leader stated, explaining that these visits allow him to meet "people who are passionate about what they do" while learning about "what is not working for them at the moment."
Doorstep Focus and Political Landscape
Mr Cole-Hamilton claims to have knocked on "more doors than any other party leader in Scotland" during the campaign, describing it as "almost an obsession" that provides him with a "chemical response." He revealed that in Edinburgh alone last week, his party spoke to 800 people in just one day, demonstrating the scale of their grassroots effort.
The Liberal Democrat leader believes many traditional SNP voters are reconsidering their support after 19 years of SNP administration. "Wherever I go people I meet on the doorsteps who have traditionally been SNP voters are really struggling to find reasons to vote for them this time," he observed, adding that people "are not inspired by John Swinney" and don't want "a third decade of SNP administration."
Positive Vision and Policy Priorities
Mr Cole-Hamilton emphasized his party's commitment to "relentless positivity" during the campaign, resisting what he called "pile-ons and scandal baiting" in favour of presenting a constructive alternative. The Lib Dems are campaigning on policies including improving Scottish education by removing mobile phones from classrooms while increasing pupil support assistants, implementing an emergency insulation programme to reduce fuel bills, and providing assistance at petrol pumps.
While acknowledging the rise of Reform UK in some polls, Mr Cole-Hamilton argued that voters "don't need to settle for that mean-spirited world view that Nigel Farage offers," instead promoting his party's vision of "a better future, a brighter future."
Personal Resilience and Online Challenges
The Scottish Liberal Democrat leader also addressed the personal challenges of political life, revealing that he no longer looks at comment sections on his social media posts due to the "brutal" nature of online discourse. In 2024, Mr Cole-Hamilton spoke publicly about seeking therapy for online abuse, and he continues to view politics as "a blood sport."
"There was a time when I was struggling with it but now I'm like 'I'm not going to surrender the country I love to this kind of person,'" he stated. "I stand up to bullies, Lib Dems always stand up to bullies."
With polls suggesting the SNP will remain the largest party after next month's ballot, Mr Cole-Hamilton acknowledged the contest is "tight amongst the other parties" but insisted the Lib Dems "are in the mix in that, for the first time in a long time" and will emerge as "a much stronger voice in the new parliament to come."
