Defiant Lib Dems vow to beat odds on May 7
Election rally sees party shake off talk of big defeat at polls
THE Lib Dems have shown defiance in the face of opinion polls which suggest they will suffer heavy losses at the General Election.
At the party’s Scottish Conference in Aberdeen, senior figures maintained they were not facing collapse and insisted they could still retain their 11 Scottish seats and defeat Alex Salmond in the north.
Party leader Nick Clegg, former leader Lord Ashdown, Scottish secretary Alistair Carmichael and chief secretary of the treasury Danny Alexander all said they were fighting to win.
Mr Clegg addressed an election rally last night in the city and said Lib Dem resilience will win the day.
He said that resilience had secured tax cuts for workers and home rule for Scotland.
He added: “And it is because of that resilience that we can and will win this May.
“That resilience will see off the SNP challenge in the seats we hold and wipe the smile off Alex Salmond’s face in Gordon too. At least then he will have another defeat to write a book about.”
Mr Alexander , in his speech earlier in the day, warned a Tory majority government would be grim for Scotland.
He said his coalition partner’s “soulless mantra” of a long-term economic plan meant pain for millions.
Mr Alexander said his party, while in government, had battled to get policies in successive Budgets which had helped families.
As the Lib Dems face their toughest election test with predictions of electoral meltdown, he hit out at the other parties and warned not to write his party off.
Mr Alexander said: “The prospect of a Britain under a majority Conservative Government is grim.
“The truth is their long-term economic plan means long-term economic pain for millions of families.” The Tories were “heartless” he said, Labour “clueless” and the Scottish Nationalists “reckless”.
Mr Alexander said Lib Dems should “march forward, proud of what we have achieved”.
And he said: “Don’t believe those who write off the Liberal Democrats. I’ll be back.”
Former party leader Paddy Ashdown said he was confident the Lib Dems were capable of holding all their 11 current seats in Scotland.
He said: “We are clearly facing a challenge from the SNP. Let’s see if the SNP maintain that.
“I’ve looked through the private polls and we are either winning or in reach of winning.”
He added: “We have proved them all wrong before and I promise you come May 7, we are going to prove them wrong again.”