Jamie Greene becomes a LibDem
Alex Cole Hamilton skirted around the question this morning on Good Morning Scotland, but it is now confirmed that Jamie Greene MSP has joined the Liberal Democrats, taking their numbers at Holyrood to five.
Mr Cole Hamilton introduced Jamie Greene as a new Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP after he announced at the party’s conference why he is leaving the Scottish Conservatives to join the Scottish Liberal Democrats.
During a speech to the Scottish Liberal Democrat Spring Conference in Inverness, Mr Greene told party members that “our job is to work together to bring back some decency, tolerance and respect back into Scottish politics”.
Alex Cole-Hamilton said: “I am over the moon to welcome Jamie Greene to the Scottish Liberal Democrats.
“Jamie is respected on all sides of the chamber. He is one of the parliament’s most effective communicators and has a selfless compassion which is seldom seen in our line of work.
“He speaks to a massive constituency of people who voted for Ruth Davidson’s Conservatives and are now dismayed to see that party lurching to extremes. His words have sent a shockwave through our country’s politics.
“He sees in the Scottish Liberal Democrats a chance to do things differently. With us, he can represent a party that’s going from strength to strength, a party where he can be a powerful local champion, get things done and make a difference for his constituents.
“With Jamie on our team, Scottish Liberal Democrat voices will be even louder on the issues that matter – getting you fast access to healthcare, lifting up Scottish education and growing our economy.”
Jamie Greene said: “In politics, I have worked to make life better for the people I represent and to live up to the values of ambition, openness, and freedom that have driven me all my life.
“As my former party misguidedly revels in the worst aspects of our politics, I have chosen to join a party whose values align with mine – the Scottish Liberal Democrats.
“I look forward to working with Alex and my new Lib Dem MSP colleagues on the real issues that matter to communities like mine in the West of Scotland.”
Jamie Greene’s full address to the Scottish Liberal Democrats conference was as follows:
Hello Conference!
I’m not sure who is more surprised to see me here today – me or you?
But here I am and I’m really happy.
As you may have spotted, things in my life have moved pretty fast these last days.
In just 48 hours I’ve gone from being politically homeless, like many Scots are right now, to joining you here, in my new home: the Scottish Liberal Democrats.
Everyone deserves a home to feel welcome, supported, and belong in.
Even if my journey was as slow as the A9 itself, it is the destination which matters not how you get somewhere.
I’m sorry if I sound a bit croaky. I hope that coming up from the central belt to the fresh air of the Highlands will help me shift my cold. It certainly feels like a breath of fresh air to be here with you today.
Most folk will know what it’s like to go through a break-up – a relationship in which you both drift apart.
When it happens, your friends tell you not to worry. One day you’ll meet someone better.
Well for me, today is that day.
Party conferences of course are a chance to talk to those present in the room. But I also want to speak directly, now that I am free to do so, to people outside of these walls and outside of the political bubble. Especially to those centre-right, compassionate, and decent Tories
Like the many of you who have written to me these past 24 hours – who are simply scunnered with the endless culture wars and fringe issues that my former party has become obsessed with.
In these dangerous times we live in, the language of hatred, of right-wing populism, and of scapegoating must be fought against and must be defeated.
Like you, I trust in the tolerant, liberal people of Scotland to take on that fight. I’ve been doing it already, perhaps just from the wrong place.
I also say to them: there is light at the end of the tunnel.
If you too want to fight the Trumpism that has appeared in our political backyards, if you feel the same way as I do, then there’s a home for you!
Scottish politics can and must be better.
I started my political journey as a young, working class, gay man from Greenock. I believe that if politicians are not helping Scots from backgrounds like mine to fulfil their potential in life – then we are failing in our duty.
That’s why I got into politics in the first place.
Decency and respect are so important to me, and we clearly have it here.
We must never be afraid to speak out, to speak our minds and do what our conscience tells us is best, no matter how difficult that may be.
These are the liberal values that I know you stand for. These are the values I think most decent Scots stand for. And those, most certainly, are the values I stand for.
Our job is to work together to bring back some decency, tolerance and respect back into Scottish politics.
That’s our challenge, so let’s get on with it.