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Politics
Peter Davidson

Alex Cole-Hamilton announced as new Scottish Lib Dems leader replacing Willie Rennie

Alex Cole-Hamilton has been announced as the new leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats.

The Edinburgh Western MSP takes over from long-term leader Willie Rennie who stepped down from the role last month after more than 10 years in the role.

Cole-Hamilton was the only MSP from the Lib Dems group at Holyrood to put his name forward for the post.

Under party rules only members of the Scottish Parliament are allowed to enter the race to be leader.

The Hertfordshire-born and Scottish educated MSP will now lead the three other Lib Dems, Willie Rennie, Liam McArthur and Beatrice Wishart, at Holyrood.

Willie Rennie stepped down as Lib Dems leader last month (PA)

At the May election Cole-Hamilton 's party was reduced to just four seats in the Chamber after they lost a regional-list seat to the Greens in the North East region.

The 44-year-old is a staunch critic of the SNP Government and was a member of the Scottish Parliament’s Salmond Inquiry last year.

When announcing his campaign to be leader he said he wanted to be the alternative to the extremes in Scottish politics.

After being elected, Cole-Hamilton said: "After everything we've been through, Scotland needs new hope right now.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats can inspire people again as we have managed to do right here in west Edinburgh, where they came to us in record numbers, and we can do it across the country.

“Under my leadership the Scottish Liberal Democrats will fight the climate emergency with ferocity but without the baggage of nationalism, value carers and those they care for, stand for human rights, offer new hope for business big and small, reach for the best education in the world and deliver the standard of public services our people are clamouring for.

"We turn a new page in the history of the Scottish Liberal Democrats and look forward with new hope and brimming confidence to a brighter chapter in the future of our country.”

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