Dundee LibDems back Nicol Stephen's comments on election prospects

7.12.18pm BST (GMT +0100) Sun 1st Apr 2007

Claire Matthew backs Nicol Stephen's comments on election prospects

Dundee Liberal Democrats today (Sunday 1st April) gave their support to comments by Scottish party leader Nicol Stephen MSP that the elections in May are "all to play for" as far as the Liberal Democrats are concerned.

Nicol said, "Beneath the media radar, there's a quiet movement among people who'll be voting in this election. The bitter battle between Labour and the SNP over separation is already turning people away. This is why the message of the Scottish Liberal Democrats resonates. We think that this election should be about young people and the future of Scotland, tackling the real issues of health, education and crime.

"Let's look across the water for a moment. We can take good example from France, where voters, fed up of the arguments between their two historically strongest parties, are flooding into the camp of a liberal third party candidate, François Bayrou. The French media wanted a dramatic contest limited to just two candidates, but the voters have other ideas.

"This isn't the kind of thing that could only happen in France. It is happening in Scotland too. With the regional list vote, everyone in Scotland can vote for winning Liberal Democrats MSPs. Our own polling has shown that, if people believe the Liberal Democrats can win, it is within our reach to send 51 MSPs to Holyrood. We can be the largest party.

"This is a high goal to reach, but Liberal Democrats are good at reaching high goals. Whether it's a record-breaking by-election win in Dunfermline or aiming to fuel 100% of Scotland's energy with renewable resources by 2050, we will always seek to achieve and surpass expectations.

"So let us send out two messages on the doorstep, in our literature, and even in our casual conversations. Let us tell people in Scotland that the Lib Dems can be the largest party in the Scottish Parliament, and let us tell them that Scotland has a bright future."

Locally, here in Dundee, LibDem spokesperson Claire Matthew said, "In Dundee, the Liberal Democrats are making headway - we are the party to watch on 3rd May."

Related Link:

Party leaders hold first debate - BBC.