2011 Scottish Liberal Democrats leadership election

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2011 Scottish Liberal Democrats leadership election

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Candidate Willie Rennie
Party Liberal Democrats
Popular vote Unopposed

Leader before election

Tavish Scott

Elected Leader

Willie Rennie

The 2011 Scottish Liberal Democrats leadership election was triggered by the resignation of party leader Tavish Scott on 7 May 2011, due to the very poor showing of the party at the 2011 Scottish Parliament election, in which the Liberal Democrats only returned 5 MSPs and lost 12.[1]

Nominations for party leader closed on 17 May 2011, and with Willie Rennie the only declared candidate, he was elected to the position unopposed.[2]

Declared candidates[edit]

Suggested candidates[edit]

There were only four other Scottish Liberal Democrat MSPs currently sitting in the Scottish Parliament: Jim Hume, Liam McArthur and Alison McInnes and Tavish Scott, the former party leader. Although Liam McArthur was mentioned as a possible contender, most media believed that it was unlikely that another candidate would stand due to the small size of the party making a leadership contest and ballot undesirable, as turned out to be the case.[4]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Black, Andrew (7 May 2011). "Scots Lib Dem leader Tavish Scott quits post". BBC News. Retrieved 14 July 2011.
  2. ^ Black, Andrew (17 May 2011). "Willie Rennie named new Scottish Lib Dem leader". BBC News. Retrieved 14 July 2011.
  3. ^ "Scottish Lib Dems: Rennie announces he will stand for leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats". scotlibdems.org.uk. 13 May 2011. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 14 July 2011.
  4. ^ "Tavish Scott resigns as Scottish Liberal Democrat leader". Caledonian Mercury. 7 May 2011. Archived from the original on 12 September 2011. Retrieved 14 July 2011.

See also[edit]