Scottish Liberal Democrats end SNP majority on parliamentary business body

Party leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has today announced that as a result of Jamie Greene joining the Scottish Liberal Democrats, the party has ended the SNP’s majority on the Scottish Parliament’s Bureau, the body which determines the Parliament’s agenda.

Following discussions with Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone MSP and the Chief Executive of the Scottish Parliament David McGill:

• Alex Cole-Hamilton will get an extra question at First Minister’s Questions.
• Jamie Greene will now represent the Scottish Liberal Democrats on the Public Audit Committee as Deputy Convenor.
• Willie Rennie will now represent the party on the Scottish Parliament’s Bureau, ending the SNP’s majority and opening the door for opposition parties to force increased scrutiny of the Scottish Government’s activities.

While the Bureau is a cross-party body, until now the SNP have held a majority of votes over issues such as the timetabling of debates and ministerial statements, despite being a minority government.

Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

“With the addition of Jamie Greene to our group, we have gained a principled and eloquent parliamentarian who wants to get things done.

“It is a sign of the growing momentum behind our party and the disarray in which the Scottish Conservatives find themselves.

“His brave decision to join Scottish Liberal Democrats will also have a significant impact on events in the Parliament, because it breaks through years of dominance on the powerful body which controls parliamentary timetabling. The SNP will no longer have the majority say on how Parliament runs and works.

“The Liberal Democrats’ elevation to the Bureau will give the majority of MSPs who are not from the SNP back control of our Parliament. The SNP will need to compromise, not railroad through its own agenda.

“The power the Scottish Liberal Democrats now have means SNP ministers can be dragged to Parliament on ferries, teacher numbers and ADHD waits, and they won’t be able to hide and dodge scrutiny. That’s good for democracy.

“We will work with other opposition parties to use these extra levers over areas such as ministerial statements and the timetabling of debates and legislation to hold the SNP to account and ensure that they are focused on the issues that matter most.

“This is the difference that more Scottish Liberal Democrat parliamentarians can make. If the Scottish Government stay focused on the issues that matter to people we will work with them but if they don’t we will use these new positions to be a thorn in their side.”