BANFFSHIRE and BUCHAN COAST Liberal Democrats

Commenting on today's vote to prevent a Conservative Prime Minister proroguing parliament, Liberal Democrat Scottish Affairs spokesperson Jamie Stone MP said:

"These votes were a milestone victory in blocking Boris Johnson from trampling on our democracy.

"No Prime Minister should be able to prorogue Parliament to force something through against Parliament's will and these votes are an important part in stopping Boris Johnson doing this.

"A no deal Brexit would be a disaster for Scotland and must be stopped. The only real way out of this chaos is a People's Vote, with the option to stay in the EU, and the Liberal Democrats will keep fighting as we have done today to make this a reality."

Commenting on new figures from HMRC and the Scottish Fiscal Commission showing that the Scottish Government face a budget blackhole of more than £200m as a result of lower than expected tax revenues, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said:

"Under the SNP the economy has bounced a long the bottom. Headline-grabbing economic initiatives have promised much but delivered little real change.

Responding to the announcement today that the opening of Edinburgh's Royal Hospital for Children and Young People could face prolonged delays, Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:

"Patients and their parents will undoubtedly be exasperated by the news that the Sick Kids' opening is likely to face prolonged delays.

Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has today submitted his party's ten point plan for tackling drug and alcohol misuse to Health Secretary Jeane Freeman and Public Health minister Joe Fitzpatrick, as he warned that another decade of failure will not be tolerated in the wake of figures revealing Scotland now has the worst drug death rate in the developed world.

Scottish Liberal Democrat MEP Sheila Ritchie will make her debut speech in the European Parliament as she leads a debate on the situation at the USA-Mexican border on Thursday 18^th July.

Ms Ritchie's motion calls for the relevant authorities in the US to guarantee immediately that all detainees have access to basic rights, such as water, food, health and shelter, urges the authorities to immediately find non-custodial alternatives for migrants and refugee children and adults and urges the government of the USA to start reuniting separated families.

Responding to the new report on single-use disposable beverage cups by the Expert Panel on Environmental Charging, which recommends the Scottish Government devise a "sustainable model" of consumption to address the thousands of tonnes of waste generated by coffee cups in Scotland each year, Scottish Liberal Democrat energy spokesperson Liam McArthur MSP said:

Beatrice Wishart, the Lib Dem candidate for Shetland, is in Unst today kicking off her campaign to win the vacant Shetland seat in the Scottish Parliament. She was joined at Unstfest by former MSP Tavish Scott as they met local people and supported the vibrant community festival in the most northerly part of Shetland.

East Dunbartonshire MP Jo Swinson has accused SNP Transport Secretary Michael Matheson MSP of dodging responsibility on the Milngavie line after he once again refused to pursue the matter with her, saying he could "see little benefit in having a further meeting".

Matheson cancelled two previous meetings with Swinson to discuss urgent action on the line, including the option of re-dualling. When the meeting was subsequently rescheduled, Matheson failed to include any local MPs, choosing to meet only with local councillors.

Responding to new figures showing that there were 1,187 drugs deaths in Scotland in 2018, Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

"Scotland now has the worst drugs death crisis in the developed world.

"Scottish drugs policy has utterly failed. Here and across the UK, we need an immediate change of course.

The Scottish Liberal Democrats have today announced Cllr Beatrice Wishart has been selected as the parliamentary candidate for Shetland.

Beatrice Wishart is the Depute Convener of Shetland Islands Council and represents the Lerwick South ward. She is a trustee of Women's Aid in Shetland and is an active WASPI campaigner. Over the last decade she has run the office of MP for Orkney & Shetland Alistair Carmichael and supported the work of former Shetland MSP Tavish Scott.