SCOTTISH LibDem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has “categorically” ruled out any potential coalition with the SNP after next year’s Holyrood election.
Speaking to the Holyrood Sources podcast, he was clear that no-one from his party would “take ministerial office in an SNP-led administration”.
Cole-Hamilton dismissed suggestions his party could do a deal with the SNP to keep John Swinney in power after polling suggested the SNP could remain the largest party after the next Scottish Parliament election while falling short of an overall majority.
Analysis by elections expert Professor Sir John Curtice suggested the SNP could return 53 MSPs to Holyrood – 12 short of the 65 needed for a majority.
The data showed the Scottish Greens, who were previously in a power-sharing deal with the SNP, potentially winning 10 seats, which would still leave the pro-independence parties short.
With the LibDems possibly returning 12 MSPs, a deal with Cole-Hamilton’s party would allow Swinney to run a majority administration.
But referring to suggestions he could become deputy first minister under a deal between the two parties, the Scottish LibDem leader insisted: “Nothing could be further from the truth.
“No Liberal Democrat will take ministerial office in an SNP-led administration.”
He said that that was because “Scotland needs a change of government” with a different party in power – claiming that even SNP supporters were only voting for the party “grudgingly”.
However, Cole-Hamilton – who recently agreed a deal to back the Scottish Government’s Budget for 2025/26 – stressed LibDems would “continue to act like grown-ups” if there is no overall majority after the next election.
He said: “No deputy first minister for me in an SNP administration.
“But, obviously, if they’re still the largest party, if they still hold power, we will get things done. We’ll work to find a way through.
“I think I can say that categorically.”
