Alex Cole-Hamilton confirmed as new Lib Dem leader

Alex Cole-Hamilton has been confirmed as the new leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats.

The Edinburgh Western MSP was the only person to have put himself forward to succeed Willie Rennie in the role.

When nominations closed at 15:00 on Friday, the politician won the contest unopposed.

Mr Rennie announced he was standing down after the Liberal Democrats won just four seats in the Scottish Parliament election in May.

He said the party needed fresh leadership to take it forward after his decade at the helm, with Mr Cole-Hamilton being elected unopposed to replace him.

At an announcement event in his constituency, Mr Cole-Hamilton told supporters that Scotland needed "new hope".

He said: "After everything we've been through, Scotland needs new hope right now.

"Scottish Liberal Democrats can inspire people again as we have managed to do right here in west Edinburgh, where they came to us in record numbers, and we can do it across the country.

"Under my leadership, the Scottish Liberal Democrats will fight the climate emergency with ferocity but without the baggage of nationalism, value carers and those they care for, stand for human rights, offer new hope for business big and small, reach for the best education in the world and deliver the standard of public services our people are clamouring for."

He added: "We turn a new page in the history of the Scottish Liberal Democrats and look forward with new hope and brimming confidence to a brighter chapter in the future of our country."

Lib Dem UK leader Sir Ed Davey, tweeted: "A huge congratulations to agcolehamilton on his election as Leader of scotlibdems.

"Alex is a true liberal and tireless campaigner. I look forward to working closely with him to fight the climate crisis, value carers, and deliver world-class education and services for Scotland."

The Scottish Lib Dems lost one seat in May's Holyrood election, leaving the party with four MSPs.

Christine Jardine, Lib Dem MP for Edinburgh West, announced Mr Cole-Hamilton's appointment.

She told the crowd: "He's not just someone who's in this because of politics, he's in this because of what he believes and it will be his vision, his views, his direction that will take the party forward into the next phase.

"We all have a job to do in supporting Alex, we all have a job to do in getting the message out there, and we all have a job to do in ensuring that this next phase of our history is a strong, positive one.

"Alex is the one who's going to lead us forward in portraying that to the Scottish people, winning their support again, and making sure that we change Scottish politics."

When he launched his leadership campaign last month, Mr Cole-Hamilton said he wanted to offer an alternative to the "extremes" of the SNP and Conservatives.

He said he wanted his party to be in power, and suggested that he would be open to working with Labour in the Scottish Parliament if the two parties managed to revive their fortunes.

He described Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar as a "mate", saying the pair have a "great personal friendship" and regularly go for coffee together.

Labour and the Liberal Democrats formed coalition governments at Holyrood between 1999 and 2007.

The new leader has been an MSP since 2016, and won more votes than any other candidate in this year's Holyrood election.

He was previously the party's health spokesman at Holyrood, and served on the committee that investigated the Scottish government's handling of sexual harassment complaints against Alex Salmond.

He apologised in February after being caught on camera mouthing swear words at government minister Maree Todd during a parliamentary committee.

The new party leader was born into a Liberal Democrat family and helped to deliver leaflets during the 1987 general election campaign at the age of nine.

After studying politics and international relations at the University of Aberdeen he worked for children's charities including YouthLink Scotland and Aberlour before being elected to the Scottish Parliament five years ago.

The father-of-three has said it was his experience of working with vulnerable children, and what he saw as the parliament's failure to help them, that inspired him to get into politics.

He is a keen surfer, and becomes the sixth leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats since devolution.