The agenda for the 2017 Autumn Conference is now available.

The climate emergency cannot wait. Unless there is urgent action to tackle out of control transport emissions, our environment and the health of future generations will suffer. 

As trustees of our world, Liberal Democrats understand we have a duty to pass on a sustainable legacy for future generations. 

Too many young people are being left behind by the pandemic’s disruption to their education.

Even before the pandemic, the SNP presided over a growing attainment gap. Nicola Sturgeon told us to “judge me on education” - and we are.

Responding to Open Democracy's investigation into racism against Scotland's Travellers which quotes Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross as saying "I am disappointed and frustrated that we seem to have to bend over backwards for this ethnic minority" and notes that a council committee chaired by Ross ruled that Traveller sites would not be allowed within a kilometre of existing settlements, a policy described by Traveller community elder Lynne Tammi as “apartheid”, convenor of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, former MEP and candidate for Moray, Sheila Ritchie said:

On a visit to a building site in Edinburgh, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie has today set out a commitment to switch one million homes from polluting mains gas to climate-friendly heating by 2030.

The party’s zero carbon homes strategy would help deliver ambitious targets to reduce emissions and would also create incentives for all households to improve their energy efficiency, with an initial five-year programme that will improve 80,000 homes per year.

In their forthcoming manifesto the party will declare home insulation a national strategic priority and set a target to have covered the whole country by 2030, double fuel poverty budgets and provide incentives for all householders. These steps have been estimated to create 34,000 new jobs in energy efficiency. 

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said:  

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie has set out ambitious plans to save Scotland’s nature for future generations with a new Nature Recovery Law.  

The party say urgent action is needed to write into law a requirement for governments to tackle the crisis facing Scotland's natural environment. 

The new law, which would be the first of its kind in Scotland, would see binding national recovery targets and investing more money in nature through plans like planting 36 million extra trees each year across the country.  

The party also plans to establish new national parks - in what would be an important boost for rural employment. 

The Liberal Democrat manifesto will propose a Nature Recovery Law to set legal targets across government to clean up our air, soils, seas and rivers. The plan will include measures to:  

Responding to the death of Shirley Williams, Baroness Williams of Crosby, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said:

“Shirley was a personal inspiration to me, sparking that initial interest in politics in the 1980s.  She had the sharpest mind, a stubborn doggedness and a warm personality. 

“She was interested in people’s views, especially opponents. I still recall her gently holding the hand of an independence supporter on Dunfermline High Street as she listened intently to her opposing opinion. It lasted a good ten minutes which on a busy campaign visit was a very long time.

Responding to comments from Alex Salmond in which he makes clear that he doesn't want to wait til 2023 for another independence referendum, Scottish Liberal Democrat campaign chair Alistair Carmichael MP said:

"Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmond don't care about your job, your parent's operation or your child's schooling.

"Scotland deserves better than a nationalist movement that wants to spend the next five years arguing about the timeline for independence.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie and former UK leader Menzies Campbell have today set out the party’s plans for reforming the UK and ensuring that it works for everyone. 

At the site used by the Scottish Parliament from 1999 to 2004, the leaders launched the party’s new report Bring Our Country Together, which highlights a series of recommendations for making the machinery of the UK work better. The report highlights six key steps: 

1. Democratic reform at Westminster 
2. A Declaration of a Federal United Kingdom: Turn the Sewel Convention into legislation 
3. Protect the Supreme Court 
4. Create a United Kingdom Council of Ministers 
5. Enable shared UK-wide institutions 
6. Creation of a Written Constitution 

Willie Rennie said: 

Responding to Scotland passing 10,000 deaths from covid-19, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said: