Scottish Liberal Democrats in good form at Dunfermline

The Scottish Liberal Democrats' autumn conference at the Vine Centre in Dunfermlne yesterday was easily one of the best in the party's history. The conference was hugely well attended with delegates from all over the country, the exhibition space was all used up and we had a tremendous line-up of speakers including Chief Secretary to the Treasurey Danny Alexander MP , Scottish Secretary Michael Moore MP and the Scottish Party leader Tavish Scott MSP. The Press were all there in massive numbers, and several of the speeches went out live on television. Tavish Scott in particular gave a very convincing speech outlining how we would go about managing our financial problems over the next four years, and detailing what the current SNP administration have been completely unable to get a grip off......namely what we in Scotland could do to help deal with the situation. More about this again..........

Other motions debated included how to fund higher education, public sector procurement practice and saving the two air-craft carriers currently under order. There was an excellent fringe meeting on the referendum for fairer votes that will be taking place next May.

The headline announcement by Danny Alexander MP was that the coalition government was taking forward plans to reduce fuel levies in our remote communities. A pilot project will be driven forward shortly to reduce fuel duty by 5 pence a litre in the Hebridies and Western isles and Orkney and Shetland, and also in the Scilly Isles as well.

While the 5 pence is very modest, and the geographical area extremely confined, the principle has at least been established and by also introducing the measure south of the border as well, no doubt other rural communities in England and Wales will pick up on this initiative, monitor how it operates, and help us put some political momentum behind the idea in future.

George Lyon MEP and others must now work hard to make sure that we get the backing of other European countries, before the initiative can be taken forwards. Such an initiative is already working in three other European countries. We can make it work here as well.

This initiative is the perfect example of Liberal Democrat MSPs, MPs and MEPs working as a team to deliver not only for rural Scotland but potentially for other rural areas of the UK as well, each with their own part to play in acheiving the overall outcome.

Well done to Danny Alexander for not forgetting his election promise to people in the Highlands. Fingers crosed that we can get this pilot up and running as soon as possible, and that it can be extended to other areas once the pilot is complete.