Alex Cole-Hamilton

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Cole-Hamilton speaking in the Scottish Parliament in May 2024. Alex Cole-Hamilton speaking in Scottish Parliament May 2024.png
Cole-Hamilton speaking in the Scottish Parliament in May 2024.

On 27 July 2021, Cole-Hamilton announced his intention to stand in the upcoming Scottish Liberal Democrats leadership election to replace Willie Rennie. [22] He won the election unopposed on 20 August 2021 and took office the same day. [23] He led the party into the 2022 local elections, which saw an increase of 20 councillors to 87, and increased vote share to 8.7%. [24]

He has prioritised campaigning on children's mental health, long covid, tackling the climate crisis and supporting Ukrainian refugees. He was sanctioned by the Kremlin in August 2022 following his public criticism of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, [25] and his efforts to highlight Russian influence in Scotland.

Cole-Hamilton spoke at an Oxford Union debate on Scottish independence on 24 February 2023. during which he compared the Yes movement with the push for Brexit. This was criticised by Corri Wilson, deputy general secretary of the independence supporting Alba Party. [26]

In December 2023, Cole-Hamilton was criticised after he attempted to take part in a parliamentary debate through video link from outside the parliamentary bar. [27] [28]

2024 general election

Upon Humza Yousaf’s resignation as First Minister in May 2024, Cole-Hamilton submitted his name for nomination as Scotland's next FM. He received four votes at the First Minister selection, losing to John Swinney who succeeded Yousaf as the leader of the SNP. [29]

After Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called for a 4 July snap election on 22 May, Cole-Hamilton began campaigning for the Lib Dems, looking to “tear down the acid yellow wall of the SNP”. [30] Cole-Hamilton said the campaign would purposely avoid mentioning Scottish independence as an issue. [31] He instead prioritized housing, education, and NHS dental care among other issues. [32] Cole-Hamilton represented the Lib Dems in a STV debate on 3 June, the first debate of the general election. [33] He participated in another debate on 11 June hosted by BBC Scotland. [34] On 17 June, Cole-Hamilton unveiled the Scottish Lib Dems manifesto, which called for more funding for local agriculture, a new minimum wage for care workers, and more support to mental health services, among other issues. [35] [36] He also promised to cut energy bills and fix Scotland's "broken" relationship with Europe. [37]

On 26 June, he said he had placed bets on elections in Scottish constituencies, describing them as "low-level bets" to "show confidence in my friends". [38]

The 2024 election produced historic results for the Lib Dems. The party won 72 seats, the most ever in its history. [39] The party won 6 seats in Scotland, gaining two in Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire and Mid Dunbartonshire from the SNP. [40] The former (previously known as Ross, Skye and Lochaber) was held by former Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy from 2005 to 2015. [41] Cole-Hamilton celebrated the results, declaring “There are far more liberals than nationalists on the benches of the House Commons today.” [42] [43]

Personal life

Cole-Hamilton is married to wife, Gillian, a teacher and Liberal Democrat candidate. They have three children. [44] In 2019, he resuscitated his daughter after she swallowed a 50c Euro coin. He used the publicity around this to raise awareness of the importance of infant first aid and organised several first aid training events in his constituency. [45]

In May 2024, Cole-Hamilton announced he had been undergoing therapy for online abuse for the past two years. He said the Lib Dems were paying for the therapy, and that he made the announcement to “encourage others who were struggling to reach out and talk”. [46]

His relative John Cole-Hamilton was Provost of Kilwinning from 1940 until 1947, Deputy Lord Lieutenant for the County of Ayr in 1951, and Chairman of the Central Ayrshire Conservative Party when that constituency was formed, and Richard Cole-Hamilton, former chief executive of the Clydesdale Bank. [47]

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  1. Alistair Carmichael acted from 20 July to 20 August 2021
Alex Cole-Hamilton
MSP
Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP.jpg
Official portrait, 2016
Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats
Assumed office
20 August 2021
Scottish Parliament
Preceded by Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Edinburgh Western

2016–present
Incumbent
Party political offices
Preceded by Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats
2021–present
Incumbent