Everyone needs a Willie – including, it seems, the Scottish Lib Dems

It didn’t take the Scottish Liberal Democrats long to find a new leader. Less than two weeks have gone by since the resignation of Tavish Scott following the party’s disastrous showing in the Scottish elections, yet today Willie Rennie was appointed as his replacement.

But that short timescale was fairly inevitable given that the parliamentary party was reduced to a rump of five. A contest drawing in almost half of the party’s MSPs would have seemed a little eccentric, so Mr Rennie emerged as the uncontested choice as leader. It does seem that, as Margaret Thatcher once remarked about Willie Whitelaw, “Everyone needs a Willie” – although, as one member of the press pack at Holyrood added with reference to the Lib Dems yesterday, “Perhaps some balls wouldn’t harm, either.” A former backroom fixer of the party – he was chief executive of the Scottish Liberal Democrats and chief of staff for the party at Holyrood – Mr Rennie is now stepping into the limelight. The regional list MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife certainly knows the party, but what his activists will want to know is that he can revive its fortunes as well. A 43-year-old father of two, Mr Rennie has an unlikely claim to fame in that he was once runner-up in the annual Scottish coal-carrying championships. He has a background in PR and has already been an MP, winning the Dunfermline and West Fife by-election for the Liberal Democrats in 2006 but losing the seat in 2010. Mr Rennie accepted the appointment at North Queensferry, with one of the party’s oldest members and one of the youngest. “I’m delighted to be the new leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats," Mr Rennie said. "We need to reflect on the disappointment of the Scottish parliament election results and move on and up. I’m here today with Jimmy Gordon and Neil Alexander. Two of our oldest and youngest members. I want to connect with the party at all levels. “Scotland needs a strong Liberal voice at all levels of government. And I am determined to see that strong Liberal voice flourish. “I will be working with my colleagues in the Scottish parliament to stand up to the SNP bulldozer. We will not sit on our hands in the face of an SNP majority – we will be that Liberal voice standing up for the values that Scotland holds dear. “Scotland needs us to stand up for local services, for long-term solutions and for making our country a place that finds opportunities for aspirational Scots.” Scottish secretary and Liberal Democrat MP for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk, Michael Moore, added: “This is great news. Willie will be a first-class leader for the Scottish Liberal Democrats. Willie and I have worked together for many years. His energy, integrity and commitment make him the right person to lead our party in Scotland. "As an experienced politician and a veteran campaigner, he is ideally placed to promote our values in the new Scottish parliament and throughout Scotland too." Scottish Conservative leader Annabel Goldie said: “I congratulate Willie Rennie on his appointment as leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats. “He is a well-respected individual across the political divide and it is good for Scottish politics that he has made the journey from Westminster to Holyrood. Welcome to the hurley burley of political leadership, Willie!” Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray added: "I would like to congratulate Willie Rennie on taking over from Tavish Scott as leader. Willie is well respected by members of all parties and brings extensive experience as a former MP, chief executive of the Scottish Liberal Democrats and as the party's chief of staff. I look forward to working together with him in parliament in areas where we share common ground such as job creation and eradicating youth unemployment."

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Related posts:

1. Tavish Scott resigns as Scottish Liberal Democrat leader
2. Scott sets Lib Dems election target of quarter of Scottish seats
3. Annabel Goldie steps down as Scottish Conservative leader