John Swinney is ‘love-bombing’ the Lib Dems, Alex Cole-Hamilton says

First Minister John Swinney has been “absolutely love-bombing” the Scottish Liberal Democrats to get their party’s support in key Holyrood votes, Alex Cole-Hamilton said.

The Scottish Liberal Democrat leader however insisted his SNP counterpart would have to “fight to win us over”, telling Mr Swinney that his party would set “steep” demands before backing the government.

“We have the opportunity to shape the course of Scottish politics and influence government,” Mr Cole-Hamilton said.

His comments came as he announced the Lib Dems have set up a special budget group, to try to secure concessions from ministers when the minority administration announces its tax and spending plans later this year.

Without an overall majority in Holyrood, Mr Swinney and his Finance Secretary Jenny Gilruth will need the support of at least one other party to get their Budget Bill passed.

And Mr Cole-Hamilton told his party conference that with 10 MSPs returned to Holyrood at May’s elections, the Liberal Democrats were “now the most influential group at Holyrood”.

Pointing out there are now “just seven seats between us and the parties in second place” – with Labour and Reform both having 17 MSPs – Mr Cole-Hamilton said that the First Minister is “telling everyone else that we are players”.

He stated: “You may have heard me say that we are now the most influential group at Holyrood.

“And I meant it.”

While Mr Cole-Hamilton added that the First Minister “has been absolutely lovebombing us”, he insisted that the SNP “will have to fight to win us over on every vote, and that our price will be steep”.

Speaking about the budget unit set up by his party, he said Liberal Democrats had written to the Scottish Government on Saturday “seeking budget talks, to lay some cards on the table about what happens next”.

In those discussions, Mr Cole-Hamilton said his party “focused on things which really matter to people”.

Confirmation that the Liberal Democrats are seeking budget talks came after Mr Cole-Hamilton used his speech to call for a job guarantee for “often ignored” young Scots who are leaving care.

The Scottish Lib Dem leader said he was seeking “a guarantee of a traineeship or a real workplace opportunity for everyone at the point that they leave care”.

He said he wanted action from the state – which has responsibility for all looked after children and young people – help people at the “pivotal” moment when they leave the care system.

Mr Cole-Hamilton said: “They may not have had the best start in life. But we can surely help them with a good career, and a better chance at adulthood.”

He added: “We cannot allow young people to age out of care with empty promises

“Let’s help them into jobs which suit them.

“Let’s get employers excited about working with them.

Let’s give them real hands-on experience, mentoring and colleagues who’ll look out for them.”

He added: “I  want to show Scotland’s care-experienced young people, so often ignored, that the Liberal Democrats are on their side. And that they are loved.”