Liberal Democrats’ Scottish leader Tavish Scott resigns

Tavish Scott’s resignation is another blow to embattled Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg.

The party’s poor showing in the Scottish Parliament and English council elections, as well as defeat in the alternative vote referendum has heaped pressure on the Deputy Prime Minister.

The Scottish Lib Dems have just five seats in Holyrood and no constituency MSPs on mainland Scotland. They promised to “listen and reflect” after Thursday’s vote.

The Parliament in Edinburgh is now dominated by the SNP which won a majority of seats – the first time any party has done so.

Read more: Local elections - hidden hope for Lib Dems?

Tavish Scott said the Scottish Lib Dems had a “disastrous” night on Thursday and it was time for “new direction, new thinking and a new leader to take the party forward”.

He added: “When the leader leads he’s got to take responsibility, and I do, for the result we had. I was the figurehead of the campaign.

“I have no doubt that since last May we have been up against it because of the formation of a UK Government where the Liberal Democrats have been seen to prop up the Conservatives which is a pretty disastrous and toxic mix in politics in Scotland.

“I don’t blame Nick Clegg personally at all, he was a very brave man and is a very brave politician.”

Tavish Scott said he didn’t think pulling out of the Government would make much difference: “I don’t think leaving the Coalition would help one iota nationally because whatever would then happen we’d be seen to be running away from it.

“They are where they are but they’ve got to make a very different fist of it than they have over the last year.”

The Liberal Democrat leader, Deputy Prime Minster Nick Clegg, said: “I was very sad to hear of Tavish’s decision.

“He has been an excellent and energetic leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats at an extremely difficult time, as well as a good friend and colleague.

“I’m sure he would have done a brilliant job leading the fight back for the Lib Dems in Scotland but I fully respect his decision.

“I know that Tavish will continue to play a central role in supporting the new Lib Dem leader in Scotland and in Scottish politics as a whole.”