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Rennie: Lib Dems must 'turn back the tide of division' Scottish Lib Dem leader Rennie wants referendum on Brexit deal
(about 11 hours later)
Willie Rennie is to urge the Scottish Lib Dems to help "turn back the tide of division" ahead of the party's spring conference in Perth. The British people should "sign off" the final Brexit deal by voting in another referendum, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie has said.
Mr Rennie will present his party as being at odds with the Conservatives and SNP by backing the UK and the EU. Ahead of his party's conference in Perth, he told BBC Scotland it was the "democratic thing to do".
Speakers at the two-day event include former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Mr Rennie himself. The complex negotiations required for the UK to end its membership of the European Union are due to begin soon.
There will be policy debates on the UK and Europe, mental health, consumer advocacy and HGV speed limits. Mr Rennie said he respected the will of the people, however, they did not vote last June for the "destination".
Ahead of the conference, Mr Rennie said the Lib Dems speak for "the majority of people in our country". Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme, the MSP said the whole of the UK needed to be kept in the EU.
The Lib Dem leader said the Tories and Labour were "walking hand in hand towards a hard Brexit", while the SNP were "hurtling towards another damaging independence referendum". When presenter Gary Robertson reminded Mr Rennie that the vote was to end European membership, he responded: "I am in favour of fighting for what I believe in.
'Open, tolerant and united' "I'm not going to give up in the face of this isolationist approach to the world, the Donald Trump approach, the Brexit approach and I would argue that the decision to break up the UK too is a regressive approach.
He said: "A majority of people in Scotland want to keep the United Kingdom but the SNP want to burn it down. They do not speak for Scotland. And a majority of people in Scotland want to keep the European Union but the Conservatives want to burn that down. They do not speak for Scotland. "I am not going to stand down in the face of that challenge. I am going to stand up for strong liberal values."
"No one else stands with the majority of Scotland apart from the Liberal Democrats. We believe that our country is best served when it is open, tolerant and united. We fight against division and refuse to give up on a United Kingdom within the EU." Birthday weekend absence
The Lib Dems support a referendum on the final Brexit deal, while opposing a second Scottish independence referendum. Members of the Liberal Democrats are gathering for their two-day conference which will feature a keynote speech from Mr Rennie and addresses from Scotland's only Lib Dem MP Alistair Carmichael and former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg.
Mr Clegg and the party's sole MP Alistair Carmichael will speak on Friday, with Mr Rennie and party President Sal Brinton speaking on Saturday. Mr Rennie explained that current UK leader Tim Farron would not be attending because he had an "important family birthday this weekend".
Mr Rennie added: "We can turn back the tide of division. We can celebrate both our differences and the ties that bind us. We can say no to independence and yes to partnership. We can, once and for all, put an end to the claim that if you do not believe in independence you do not believe in Scotland." On the question of another Scottish independence referendum, the Holyrood politician said he did not want one but he conceded that it would be "close, no doubt" if held.
He added: "What we need to do is put forward a very positive uplifting case for the UK.
"This is not just about numbers on a spreadsheet, this is about making sure that we have got a positive case that people can rally around.
"I believe in working with our partners, our neighbours across the UK."
During the conference there will be policy debates on the UK and Europe, mental health, consumer advocacy and HGV speed limits.