Liberal Democrats are the only effective opposition

12.00.00pm GMT Fri 9th May 2008

Following the astonishing meltdown of the Labour Party this week, Nicol Stephen, Leader of the Liberal Democrats in Scotland, has said that the Liberal Democrats are offering the only effective opposition to the SNP Government in Scotland.

Mr Stephen pointed to Tory support for the SNP budget and Labour's disarray this week as evidence that the Liberal Democrats were the only party capable of offering any alternative to the nationalist government.

Commenting, Mr Stephen said: "This week has proved beyond any doubt that the Liberal Democrats are the only party providing effective opposition to the SNP.

"Annabel Goldie's Tories have made life more than easy for the SNP over the last year. The Tories have consistently cosied up to the SNP, even supporting the nationalist's budget. They must share the blame for the ensuing cuts to frontline services that almost every council in Scotland has had to make.

"This week, Labour has disintegrated. Wendy Alexander's flip-flop on the independence vote and the subsequent failure of the Prime Minister to support her position has plunged the party into chaos. Nobody knows what Labour stand for anymore and they're shown themselves as totally incapable of holding the SNP Government to account."

East Lothian Parliamentary candidate Amy Rodger added, "Labour are so busy fighting with each other that they have lost touch with what the voters want - effective action on the issues that matter. Here in East Lothian we have a Labour MP who cares more about scoring cheap political points than serving the interests of her constituents. I will continue to work closely with Nicol Stephen in ensuring that the Liberal Democrats continue to expose Labour as the fading force of Scottish politics."