Nicol Stephen yesterday won the election to succeed Jim Wallace as Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats. He beat fellow MSP Mike Rumbles by 76.6% to 23.4%.
I was at the press conference where the result was announced by Malcolm Bruce MP and I watched Nicol’s acceptance speech which was as positive as the campaign had been. Nicol is a charismatic new leader (and former MP) who I’m sure will lead the LibDems to a greater presence in the Scottish Parliament in 2007.
“I want us to be seen as pro-education, pro-the economy, pro-business, pro-the environment,” he explained.
“I want our ideas to be radical, responsible and reforming.
[…]
“My strategy is to aim high, my vision is a Liberal Scotland and Scotland’s future is best with the Liberal Democrats.”
Here endeth the PPB.
Where he says about being “pro-the economy, pro-business, pro-the environment”, isn’t this the usual Pollyanna approach to the environment? There are many contradictions in trying to reconcile economic growth and protecting the environment. It may not be impossible, but this is one of these slogans any Conservative/New Labour politician could use, often as a convenient way to ignore these contradictions altogether – and simply go for economic growth.
Nicol Stephen gives the impression of being no different to them.