Lib Dems’ all-woman list in fight to take kingdom seat

The Liberal Democrats will have an all-woman shortlist as they bid to win back North East Fife, Willie Rennie has revealed.

The constituency is the party’s third-top target in the June general election, with senior sources claiming there are “some absolutely cracking candidates coming forward” to take on the SNP’s Stephen Gethins.

The deadline for applications is tomorrow, after which shortlists – all female in the case of the five constituencies the party has judged to be the most winnable – will be created.

Mr Rennie said the party is aiming to confirm its candidates by the following Saturday.

East Dunbartonshire is the party’s top target, followed by Edinburgh West, North East Fife and Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross.

Mr Rennie also revealed he is hopeful the party will reclaim the late Charles Kennedy’s former seat in the general election. The Scottish Liberal Democrat leader said it would be a “joy” to take back Ross, Skye and Lochaber from the SNP.

Mr Kennedy, who died in June 2015, led his party from August 1999 to January 2006 and served as an MP for 32 years before being ousted by Ian Blackford two years ago.

Mr Rennie said: “There is always a bit of a lump in the throat when you drive into the constituency.

“I did a visit to Skye not so long ago. People were still remembering Charles and what he had done over a long period and how much they missed him.”

The North East Fife MSP also predicted the SNP would lose MPs on June 8, while his party would increase its number.

“We are definitely going to go up, the SNP will go down. The exact scale of it, I’m not sure, but the direction of travel is clear,” he said.

“People are fed up with independence dominating every bit of politics and want to send a message back on that.”

Mr Rennie, left, and the late Charles Kennedy.