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| Scottish Lib Dems target 'moderate' Labour voters | Scottish Lib Dems target 'moderate' Labour voters |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats has urged "moderate" Labour voters who feel "without a political home" to back his party instead. | The leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats has urged "moderate" Labour voters who feel "without a political home" to back his party instead. |
| Willie Rennie said many voters were concerned about Labour moving "far to the left" under Jeremy Corbyn. | Willie Rennie said many voters were concerned about Labour moving "far to the left" under Jeremy Corbyn. |
| And he said the Lib Dems were the only party committed to stopping Brexit and another independence referendum. | And he said the Lib Dems were the only party committed to stopping Brexit and another independence referendum. |
| Mr Rennie was speaking as he formally launched his party's campaign ahead of the general election on 12 December. | Mr Rennie was speaking as he formally launched his party's campaign ahead of the general election on 12 December. |
| Elsewhere on the Scottish general election campaign trail: | Elsewhere on the Scottish general election campaign trail: |
| Speaking to Lib Dem supporters at their campaign launch in Cramond, near Edinburgh, Mr Rennie claimed that Labour was now "out of touch with moderate, reasonable people". | Speaking to Lib Dem supporters at their campaign launch in Cramond, near Edinburgh, Mr Rennie claimed that Labour was now "out of touch with moderate, reasonable people". |
| And he predicted that his party would win over a large number of people with its "crystal clear message" ahead of the election: "We want to stop Brexit, we want to stop independence and build a brighter future." | And he predicted that his party would win over a large number of people with its "crystal clear message" ahead of the election: "We want to stop Brexit, we want to stop independence and build a brighter future." |
| Mr Rennie added: "All of those people who are without a political home, I think they need to come with the Liberal Democrats, because we speak for them. | Mr Rennie added: "All of those people who are without a political home, I think they need to come with the Liberal Democrats, because we speak for them. |
| "With Jo Swinson as our leader, I think the party is going to do exceptionally well in this campaign. | "With Jo Swinson as our leader, I think the party is going to do exceptionally well in this campaign. |
| "We need to stop Brexit, because every single option for it damages the economy and divides the country. We want to stop independence because that'll just repeat the mistakes of Brexit." | "We need to stop Brexit, because every single option for it damages the economy and divides the country. We want to stop independence because that'll just repeat the mistakes of Brexit." |
| Mr Rennie said that his party will cancel Brexit if it wins the election, and take independence "off the table" - which he said would allow it to focus on mental health provisions, the NHS and climate change - which he described as the "big crisis of this generation". | Mr Rennie said that his party will cancel Brexit if it wins the election, and take independence "off the table" - which he said would allow it to focus on mental health provisions, the NHS and climate change - which he described as the "big crisis of this generation". |
| Elsewhere, the Scottish Conservatives welcomed the prime minister to Moray on his first full day of campaigning ahead of the vote. | Elsewhere, the Scottish Conservatives welcomed the prime minister to Moray on his first full day of campaigning ahead of the vote. |
| Mr Johnson told supporters that a vote for the Scottish Conservatives would be a "vote to stop a second independence referendum and to get Brexit done". | Mr Johnson told supporters that a vote for the Scottish Conservatives would be a "vote to stop a second independence referendum and to get Brexit done". |
| He added: "The other choice is a vote for Jeremy Corbyn, who would spend next year dancing to the SNP's tune, wasting the year with two divisive referendums - one on the EU and one to give up on our union." | He added: "The other choice is a vote for Jeremy Corbyn, who would spend next year dancing to the SNP's tune, wasting the year with two divisive referendums - one on the EU and one to give up on our union." |
| But Ms Sturgeon, who wants to hold an independence referendum next year, said backing the SNP would be "a vote to escape Brexit and to put Scotland's future in Scotland's hands". | But Ms Sturgeon, who wants to hold an independence referendum next year, said backing the SNP would be "a vote to escape Brexit and to put Scotland's future in Scotland's hands". |
| The first minister added: "The only thing Boris Johnson should be coming to Scotland to do is apologise for the chaos he and his party have subjected us to for years. | The first minister added: "The only thing Boris Johnson should be coming to Scotland to do is apologise for the chaos he and his party have subjected us to for years. |
| "He is a prime architect of the Brexit vote and the utter shambles it has now led to." | "He is a prime architect of the Brexit vote and the utter shambles it has now led to." |
| Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard was also on the campaign trail as he highlighted his party's pledge to invest £70bn into Scotland's industries and public services during a visit to a manufacturing business in Midlothian. | Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard was also on the campaign trail as he highlighted his party's pledge to invest £70bn into Scotland's industries and public services during a visit to a manufacturing business in Midlothian. |
| Speaking ahead of the visit, he said the investment would "put Scotland's economy back on the map" and create well-paid, high-skilled jobs, giving workers "the security they need to get on in life". | |
| Scottish Labour later dropped its candidate in Edinburgh South West. Its ruling body refused to endorse Frances Hoole after she posted a controversial image of her SNP rival, Joanna Cherry, on social media. | |
| Ms Hoole has apologised for the image which showed Ms Cherry being targeted with a bleach spray. The SNP politician said the post was "abusive" and that Labour had made the right decision. |