Dundee Liberal Democrats - www.dundeelibdems.scot

Speaking after the final election results were declared, the leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, Willie Rennie MSP said:

"I congratulate all those, from all parties, who have been elected to our new parliament.

"I look forward to working across the new chamber to put recovery first.

"Liberal Democrats have had some astonishing constituency results.

Liberal Democrat have had some great early wins:

• We made gains from Labour in Sunderland;
• We became the largest party on Stockport council;
• We held Orkney, re-electing Liam McArthur MSP;
• We made gains in Cambridgeshire, taking away the Conservative's majority.

Find out how to help the Lib Dems in the Chesham and Amersham by-election

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Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said:

"As polls close I would like to thank all of the Scottish Liberal Democrat activists who have worked so hard over the past few months to deliver an energetic and positive campaign from the Borders to the Highlands and Islands.

"We have been clear that a vote for the Scottish Liberal Democrats is a vote to put recovery first and spend the next five years tackling serious issues like mental health, education and the climate emergency.

In the Lords we get to grips with the detail of the legislation and improve it; we take part in debates on a whole range of issues; and we question and hold to account government ministers.

For up-to-date information about the work of the Lib Dem group in the Lords, follow us on Twitter: @LibDemLords

In an appeal to Scottish Green voters, campaign chair Alistair Carmichael MP has today said every vote for the Scottish Liberal Democrats is a vote to "put the climate emergency ahead of independence".

The intervention comes after a poll by Lord Ashcroft Polls showed Greens voters hold mixed views on independence. The poll reported only 43% of Green supporters supported independence, while 46% were against it.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie has today kicked off the final day of campaigning before polls open at an airfield in East Lothian, where he urged voters to back Liberal Democrat candidates who will put recovery first, not an independence referendum.

Kicking off a whistle stop tour that will take him from the South of Scotland to the Highlands, Mr Rennie said:

We have decided that Autumn Conference will take place from 17th to 20th September. It will be held online. That was a very difficult decision to take and we had a very lengthy discussion about it.

We recognise that a lot of people would like to meet again in person - believe me, so we would we - but the question is whether, at this time, we can absolutely guarantee that conference could go ahead in the format that we know and love. Having consulted a range of others, FCC considered, with some reluctance, that it was not possible at this time to give such a guarantee. Although things are now a lot better in terms of the pandemic, we do not know if there are any final bumps in the road still to come. Medical experts say they expect a third wave in the Autumn but the extent is not yet clear. Of course, things seemed better in the early Autumn of 2020 but then took a marked turn for the worst a few months later. We do not, at this stage, know what social distancing requirements there will be or how many people will be able to attend the venue. We therefore cannot make meaningful plans and set any meaningful budget for the event. The risk of going ahead in person but having to cancel or heavily restrict the event such that it is not inclusive, is just too great. In the same way, we take any risk to the personal safety of party members very seriously. That is why we cancelled Spring 2020. We would not want to expose anyone to any unnecessary risk of catching this dreadful virus in a close setting.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie has today used a campaign stop in Edinburgh to urge voters to reach for recovery and declare that his party can make the gains that will ensure the next parliament puts recovery first, not independence.

Launching his party's "Reach for Recovery" poster van, Mr Rennie said: