Orkney voters should use the 2026 Scottish Parliament elections to break free of the Lib Dem doom loop that the islands have been stuck in for decades, says SNP candidate Robert Leslie.

Robert Leslie said:

“Alistair Carmichael’s legacy to Orkney, as a member of the ConDem coalition government formed after the 2010 General Election, is rising foodbank use by local folk amid an ongoing and damaging cost of living crisis, and the continuing negative impacts of the austerity agenda that he and his Lib Dem colleagues enabled.

“The opening by Orkney MSP Liam McArthur of the Orkney Foodbank in November 2013 was arguably a direct result of the damaging austerity agenda that Alistair Carmichael and his Lib Dem colleagues were enabling at Westminster. While in 2014-15 a total of 522 clients were supported by the foodbank, including 342 adults and 180 children, by 2024-25 the total clients supported has risen to 1538, including 536 children. This is a shocking indictment of continuing UK austerity policies, but all started back in 2010.

“The Lib Dems played a significant, central, and enabling role in introducing austerity in the UK as the junior partner in the Tory-led coalition from 2010 to 2015. 

“Fundamentally that enabling of austerity by Alistair Carmichael and the LibDems has resulted in what has been termed ‘social murder’ by academics describing the avoidable, premature deaths resulting from the damaging social and economic policies pursued by that coalition.

“Lib Dem ministers were intimately involved in and signed off on key fiscal decisions, including the 2010 Spending Review which set departmental budgets for the following years, resulting in a roughly £14 billion cut to total expenditure. The Lib Dems voted for key austerity measures, such as the increase in VAT from 17.5% to 20%, a freeze on public sector pay and child benefits, and various welfare cuts.

“Many within the party, including former ministers like Sir Vince Cable and Jo Swinson, have since expressed regret for the austerity measures and conceded they may have made mistakes, with some internal voices arguing the cuts went beyond economic necessity. 

“But things can be different. Already we see a social security system being built in Scotland that promotes dignity, fairness and respect for the folk using it rather than penalising them. We also see the level of mitigation that the SNP government in Scotland has put in place to protect Scots from many damaging UK government policies.”

Despite fixed budgets and limited powers of devolution, the SNP Scottish Government has transformed social security provision in Scotland, said Mr Leslie.

• Social Security Scotland now delivers 15 benefits, seven of them brand new and only available in Scotland.
• Benefits unique to Scotland include:
  • The Scottish Child Payment, which supports the families of over 326,000 children and has now issued over £1 billion since launch in 2021. 
  • The Child Winter Heating Payment – one of the three devolved Winter Heating Payments which will help families of almost 45,000 disabled children and young people keep their homes warm this winter.
  • The Carer’s Allowance Supplement, delivered to over 172,000 unpaid carers since launch. 
• A record £6.9 billion will be invested in devolved benefits in 2025-26, assisting disabled people, helping low-income families with living costs, and reinstating winter heating support to pensioners.

Mr Leslie added:

“In Scotland we are leading the UK in action to tackle child poverty, with progressive policies including the Scottish Child Payment, Best Start Grant and Baby Box. As a result, Scotland is the only part of the UK where levels of child poverty are falling, while the Joseph Rowntree Foundation predict child poverty will rise in other parts of the UK by 2029.

“However, we could do so much more with the full powers of independence, and ridding Orkney of the Lib Dem legacy would be a good first step along that road.

“Only a vote for me and the SNP on 7th May will end the Lib Dem doom loop and deliver the fresh start that Orkney and the rest of Scotland needs.”

The elections to The Scottish Parliament take place on Thursday 7 May 2026.