BANFFSHIRE and BUCHAN COAST Liberal Democrats

Commenting on SPA board papers which reveal that Police Scotland's total spending in relation to Brexit is over £8m as of 9 September 2019, Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Liam McArthur MSP said:

"This is a mind boggling sum. We know the pressure that Police Scotland are already under and how stretched they are. Not only will Brexit make us less safe if we lose access to international crimefighting resources, it is costing our police service dearly.

Commenting on the Scottish Government's State of the Economy report which warns that "prolonged Brexit uncertainty" will cost Scotland £500m in the first quarter of next year, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said:

"The UK Government's disastrous approach to Brexit has done enormous economic damage before we have even left the EU.

Responding to the Scottish Government's announcement today that Serco has been selected as the preferred bidder to operate the new contract for the Northern Isles Ferry Services network, Orkney's MSP Liam McArthur commented:

"I welcome confirmation that Serco has been chosen as the preferred bidder for the Northern Isles ferry contract. This will allow for continuity in the delivery of this lifeline service upon which our island communities rely.

Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson has today joined the Glasgow climate march and called for radical proposals to tackle climate change.

Jo Swinson said:

"It was inspiring to see so many determined young people at the Glasgow Youth Climate March today. We all urgently need to raise awareness of the climate crisis and demand strong action to stop irreversible damage.

Responding to the news that the Education Secretary, John Swinney, will repeal the SNP's named person legislation, Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:

"This news is yet another humiliation for the Education Secretary and his Government.

"The Scottish Government has wasted years of time and the goodwill of the people from the children's sector involved in the policy. It lost the confidence of parents and frontline professionals. We all want to see mechanisms to help keep children safe but this SNP plan was impossible to implement."

Speaking ahead of this evening's votes in Parliament, Scottish Liberal Democrat MP Christine Jardine said:

"Scottish Conservative MPs have an opportunity to stand up for the best interests of the country in the votes in parliament.

"Will they stand against a chaotic No deal, alongside many of their colleagues who have said enough is enough? Or will these 13 Conservatives look after their own careers by doing anything that Boris Johnson tells them? This is the moment of truth."

Commenting on new research commissioned by Aberlour Child Care Trust which has found that people from Scotland's most deprived communities are three times more likely to die before they reach their 25^th birthday, Scottish Liberal Democrat equalities spokesperson Caron Lindsay said:

"We need a robust and joined up approach that runs across all the relevant areas of Scottish public policy to tackle the heartbreakingly high rate of deaths in our most deprived communities.

Responding to a Scottish Government announcement that their plans to introduce a landfill ban will be postponed by a further four years, until 2025, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said:

"The Scottish Government's failure to plan means they will breach the ban on waste going to landfill by 2021.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie has today marked the one year anniversary of the Scottish Parliament voting to halt national testing of four and five-year-olds, by questioning the First Minster on ignoring the will of parliament and accusing the SNP of "a devious and damaging" refusal to halt the tests.

Commenting on five years since the independence referendum, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said:

"The 2014 referendum was divisive and damaging but at least it took place on a sound legal footing and delivered a clear mandate for Scotland remaining part of the UK.

"It's a shame that Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmond have spent the next five years obsessing over a rematch.