BANFFSHIRE and BUCHAN COAST Liberal Democrats

Responding to news that Alex Salmond's RT show has breached broadcasting rules, Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:

"Although it has been obvious to most of us for quite some time, finally the official verdict is in - Alex Salmond's RT show has been dishonest and misleading.

"Turns out this Emperor isn't wearing any clothes after all, he has to get his own production staff to write fan tweets. It undermines the last shed of credibility he might have carried.

Jamie Stone, MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, has today welcomed Business Secretary Greg Clark's announcement that A'Mhoine in Sutherland will receive millions of pounds in investment and be the site of the UK's first spaceport.

Commenting Jamie Stone said:

"The spaceport is an incredibly exciting prospect for North Sutherland - becoming the future spaceport for the whole of the UK, our own British Cape Canaveral.

Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesperson Christine Jardine MP will today address the Scotland United Against Trump protest in Edinburgh and criticise the Prime Minister for celebrating the visit of one of the most unpopular presidents in memory.

Christine Jardine said:

"This is ridiculous. The British tax payer is stumping up £5 million pounds for a rich American to play golf when he owns two golf courses here. A President who describes his relationship with the UK as the 'highest level of special' but continues to trample over all the values we hold dear.

"Getting out and about is hugely important for our mental health as well as physical.

"Healthy weight initiatives need to permeate every aspect of life in Scotland. That means making our streets more walkable, active travel more sustainable and healthy food more easily available."

"If the government is serious about wanting to cut inactivity then it should start by delivering the national falls strategy that parliament has voted for twice in motions under my name.

Responding to a new poll which shows only 23% of Scots think Nicola Sturgeon should call an independence referendum in the Autumn, Scottish Liberal Democrat Europe spokesperson Tavish Scott MSP said:

"Less than a quarter of people want Nicola Sturgeon to launch a new independence campaign in the Autumn. Could it be any clearer?

Shetland MSP Tavish Scott has today appealed to Unite's Scottish Secretary, Pat Rafferty, to allow lifeline medical flights from the islands to continue throughout their newly announced strike periods.

Workers at Aberdeen Airport have announced their intention to strike at points throughout late July and August. This would deny NHS patients living in Orkney and Shetland the opportunity to attend scheduled medical appointments in Aberdeen through no fault of their own.

Responding to confirmation that the number of Scottish households is expected to increase by around a third over the next two decades, Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton has called on the Scottish Government to back Lib Dem calls for a National Care and Accommodation Exchange.

Household numbers are expected to increase by 317,000 by 2041. The number of households headed by someone over the age of 70 is expected to increase by 58%.

Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has today chastised the government for missing its own stroke targets by a huge margin.

64% of stroke victims were reported to have been given appropriate care (as outlined in the Scottish Stroke Care Standards). The Scottish Government target for appropriate care is 80%.

Responding to Donald Trump's comments ahead of his UK visit, Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesperson Christine Jardine MP said:

"Despite his warm words about friendship with Boris, I hope Donald Trump won't be under any illusion he's in for a warm reception in Scotland.

"The vast majority of Scots don't subscribe to his divisive and hateful views on immigration, family unification, LGBT rights, human rights, and pretty much everything else. The Liberal Democrats will be peacefully protesting his horrible politics."

Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has criticised the Scottish Government for letting performance against the 4-hour A&E waiting time target slip once again.

New ISD statistics published today show only 90.8% of those attending A&E were seen within 4 hours. The Scottish Government's target is 95%. This has not been achieved since July 2017.