The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
‘You have to listen to what concerns people’
We let each political party with a chance of winning a seat take Gayle Ritchie on the stump with one of their candidates. Today, she is in North East Fife with the Liberal Democrats’ Elizabeth Riches
Elizabeth Riches is laughing at the prospect of being referred to as “fluff”.
We’re marching through the polished back streets of Newburgh in Fife when I make the mistake of badly expressing the fact I’m anything but a specialist politics writer.
“I’m a features writer, so I write about things like the outdoors, beauty, fashion, celebrities, food and drink, or fluff,” I say, and instantly regret it (because, of course, I don’t mean that, at all).
Elizabeth, the newly selected Liberal Democrat candidate for North East Fife, won’t let it go. “I’ve never been referred to as fluff before!” she laughs. “That’s a first!”
As the general election looms, Elizabeth has been out canvassing all over the North East Fife constituency, one of a number of SNP-held seats in Scotland being keenly fought for by the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats.
The seat, a stronghold for Sir Menzies Campbell for 28 years, swung to the SNP when MP Stephen Gethins snatched a 4,344-strong majority in 2015.
A resident of Anstruther, Elizabeth – who has represented the East Neuk and Landward for 27 years – was unveiled last month as the party’s choice to fight for the Westminster seat. She also served as leader of the opposition in Fife Council for 10 years and as depute leader of Fife Council from 2007 to 2012.
“I’m realistic that this is a winnable seat,” says Elizabeth. “We’re meeting Tories who have decided they’re going to support me and we’re beginning to see the shine come off the SNP.
“Those who have voted SNP are becoming disillusioned. They don’t like the fact the day-to-day issues like education, health and hospital waiting times are being ignored.”
How, then, would she try to convince an ardent SNP supporter to switch to the Lib Dems? “I’d assume they were for independence and ask: ‘Are you convinced this country has got all the answers to being independent?’
“Post-referendum, there were so many unknowns and no answers. As Lib Dems, we want to turn away from a divisive indyref.
“I hope Holyrood can focus on what they’ve been elected to do and campaign against a hard Brexit. North East Fife is an area that depends on the EU, for our universities, agriculture workers and health. I believe we need freedom of movement.”
Kicking off the canvassing, Elizabeth meets a good few supporters, and some unwilling to be swayed. “I’m normally a Tory voter but locally, Andrew Arbuckle has been an excellent Lib Dem councillor,” says Danny Ferguson.
“We’ve got a good lady in London and the truth is, I probably will vote Tory in this general election.”
Childminder Ellie Moss, 31, says her family always vote Lib Dem and will do so on June 8, adding: “We’re always very happy with the Lib Dem policies and we’re not willing for the Tories to get in.”
Bob Stewart, 52, said: “I’ve been with the SNP for years but I’m very disillusioned with them at the moment. When I needed a gate fixed, it was the Lib Dems who helped out. I’ll never vote SNP again. The Lib Dems may well have my vote.”
We also meet former Newburgh Community Council chairwoman Irene Cumming. She’s in her garden, pointing to a huge yellow Lib Dem poster she’s stuck to her window. Need she say more?
Elizabeth is full of charm, chatting to everyone she meets, whatever their political preferences. “You have to listen to what concerns people; individuals have their worries and there’s no point in pontificating about things that hold no interest,” she says.
“I’ll use my experience as a teacher, councillor for the East Neuk and deputy leader of Fife Council to serve the best interests of the area.”