2021 Scottish Liberal Democrats leadership election

The 2021 Scottish Liberal Democrats leadership election was triggered on 12 July 2021 after incumbent leader Willie Rennie announced his intention to step down as leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats following the 2021 Scottish Parliament election.

2021 Scottish Liberal Democrats leadership election

← 2011 20 July – 20 August 2021 (2021-07-20 – 2021-08-20)

Candidate Alex Cole-Hamilton Popular vote Unopposed

Leader before election Alistair Carmichael (acting) Willie Rennie Elected Leader Alex Cole-Hamilton

On 27 July, Edinburgh Western MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton announced his intention to run for leader. He stated that he wanted to offer an "alternative kind of thinking" to what he described as "the Scottish nationalism of the SNP and the British nationalism of Boris Johnson's Brexiteers".^[1]

Throughout the election, Deputy Leader (MP for Orkney and Shetland) served as Interim Leader.

Candidates

Only sitting MSPs may seek nominations to become leader, with Cole-Hamilton the only one to announce their candidacy. The party's executive stated its aim to conduct the election before Holyrood returns from its summer recess.^[2]

Nominations for the election opened on 20 July and closed on 20 August.^[3]

As only Cole-Hamilton announced his candidacy for the leadership,^[4] he was declared the leader of the party on 20 August.^[5][6]