LibDem leader joins Hamilton by-election campaign trail
Alex Cole-Hamilton says the party "could surprise people" with their poll showing at next month's Holyrood election
Alex Cole-Hamilton says the Liberal Democrats 'could surprise people' with their showing in next month's Hamilton, Larkhall & Stonehouse by-election, saying the party presents a 'credible alternative' for voters 'absolutely scunnered with the status quo'.
The party leader joined activists in canvassing residents around the Wellhall Road area of Hamilton on Friday afternoon, where he praised 'dynamic [and] bubbly' candidate Aisha Mir – and paid tribute to the constituency's popular late MSP, Christina McKelvie.
He spoke to the Hamilton Advertiser as party campaigners met residents with three weeks to go in the by-election campaign, and told how healthcare and cost of living have been the major issues raised by voters during the campaign to date.
Mr Cole-Hamilton said: 'Constituents are [talking] about access to local healthcare, the idea that you would phone up and get a GP appointment at the first time of asking is really a thing of the past and that's a massive LibDem priority.
'It's about timely appointments, NHS dentistry near you; and when people get a diagnosis, they go to the back of some of the longest wait lists in the NHS whether that's orthopaedic surgery or diagnosis of things like ADHD and autism – these are really important to people.
'It's unsurprising as it's a factor across the country for people who are also not out of the cost of living crisis – this is a really tough time and families right across the constituency are struggling to make ends meet, so those are the key priorities that people are voicing with us.'
He joined party members in going 'door by door, street by street, finding out what matters to local people and issues they want Aisha to take action on' and said their candidate is 'absolutely dynamic, really bubbly and full of a real civic determination and commitment to public service'.
Mr Cole-Hamilton said of the by-election: 'This is tinged with sadness for me because Christina McKelvie was my friend – even though we were different parties, I served as her vice-convener on the equalities and human rights committee and she was very much a parliamentarian always willing to cross the aisle and put her hand out to political opponents. I miss her very much.'
The Liberal Democrats placed a distant fifth in the Hamilton & Clyde Valley constituency in last year's general election, but the party leader says they are targeting 'a big leap forward' in the June 5 Holyrood poll, saying: 'I think we could surprise people with the showing that we'll put in in this by-election; we're growing as a party in all parts of Scotland and we're really pleased to have Aisha as a great candidate and a strong voice for the constituency.
'It's never been better to be a LibDem – I think that people are absolutely scunnered with the status quo, they've been let down by parties of government so whether that's the Conservatives, the SNP, Labour with the decisions they've taken in the first months of office, even the Greens because they've had time in office as well, they're looking for something new [and] we present a credible alternative.'
He said of the anticipated contest between the SNP and Labour to win the seat: 'I think if that's the answer, we need to ask a different question. It's so depressing that people have to make do with parties that have consistently let them down and failed them, whether that's in the corridors of power in Edinburgh or in London.
'The LibDems are the community champions not just in Hamilton, but in Scotland and Britain more generally – we take an interest in what makes our communities tick, what matters to them, we'll work day and night to fix the things that are broken; we enjoy our campaigning and absolutely love meeting people where they're at.'
A total of 10 candidates are standing in the constituency's by-election on June 5. The full list of those appearing on the ballot paper is: Collette Bradley (Scottish Socialist Party); Andy Brady (Scottish Family Party); Ross Lambie (Reform); Katy Loudon (SNP); Janice MacKay (UKIP); Ann McGuinness (Green); Aisha Mir (Liberal Democrats); Richard Nelson (Conservative); Davy Russell (Labour); and Marc Wilkinson (independent).
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