Lib Dems attack Scots Tories for clinging to Farage’s coattails

Liberal Democrat Scottish Affairs spokesperson Susan Murray has accused the Scottish Conservatives of clinging to Nigel Farage’s coattails after her party defeated a Ten Minute Rule Bill from the Reform leader on withdrawing the UK from the European Convention on Human Rights.

Scottish Conservatives Harriet Cross, Andrew Bowie and John Lamont voted in favour of the Ten Minute Rule Bill. John Cooper and David Mundell were absent.

The final vote was 154 against and 96 for. Only five Scottish Labour MPs turned up to vote against the bill.

The debate saw Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey give an impassioned speech in defence of the European Court of Human Rights, citing numerous examples of when the institution helped British citizens get justice and keep important checks and balances in place to stop state overreach.

The UK played a leading role in developing the Convention and establishing the Court to enforce it in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War. It has been cited in numerous landmark cases and treaties, including the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.

Liberal Democrat Scottish Affairs spokesperson and Mid Dunbartonshire MP Susan Murray said:

“The Scottish Conservatives are clinging to Nigel Farage’s coattails. They have abandoned any pretence of being a sensible, moderate party and headed off into the wilderness.

“The European Convention on Human Rights protects many everyday rights we take for granted.

“Only two countries have left the ECHR: Greece, which left in 1967 after a military takeover, and Russia, which was expelled in 2022 following its invasion of Ukraine. Greece rejoined the ECHR in 1974 after democracy was restored. This is the company Nigel Farage and the Scottish Conservatives want to put us in.

“I think the question for Scottish Conservative MPs is this: is there any policy that Nigel Farage could put forward that is so beyond the pale that you wouldn’t vote for it?”

“I was also disappointed that so few Scottish Labour MPs joined us in standing up to Farage and Reform’s authoritarian policies. If you want a party who will stand up against Nigel Farage’s plans to turn Scotland into Trump’s America, you should use both ballot papers to vote Scottish Liberal Democrat at the upcoming Scottish election.”