This is a sad day for our party, for liberals everywhere and for me personally. Ming was a guiding light and elder statesman for so many of us.

Back in 2020, Ming Campbell was one of the 904 parliamentarians who stated that the imposing of National Security Law in HK by China is a 'fragrant breach of the Joint Declaration' A champion of principles, he will be missed by all.

Keir Starmer says everyone in the UK will be required to have mandatory digital ID. That’s not the kind of country we want to be. Liberal Democrats have always stood up to defend civil liberties against government overreach. We will fight tooth and nail to oppose these plans too.

Back our petition to say no to digital ID cards. www.libdems.org.uk/nodigitalid

I am heartbroken to hear the news of Ming’s passing. I first met Ming Campbell as a Young Liberal student in 1983. I was immediately struck by his presence as a personality, an intellect and as a liberal. It was an impression that never left me.

The Scottish Liberal Democrats are sad to announce the passing of Lord Menzies Campbell. The thoughts of everyone in our party are with his family at this time.

There is a world of difference between us 1) *choosing* to make our lives simpler through digital technology and 2) the government, outside its manifesto, *compelling* us to have a digital ID, asking us to trust them with that single treaure trove of data, to tackle a problem it won't. #StillNo2ID

I do not want to live in a 'papers please' society. Listen to @amcarmichaelmp.bsky.social . Be more Alistair 🔶️

Oh, one more as it's a biggie. As with all these things, it's not do you trust THIS government with your data, do you trust all subsequent governments? bsky.app/profile/amca...

An excellent thread on digital ID cards I am with Alistair

Always good to have a boss that understands what Liberalism is. I'm a liberal, and I am against this sort of thing.

One thing that should be noted: There was absolutely no mention of ID Cards in the Labour Manifesto. At all. So there's no mandate to do this, and the Lords can (and should!) repeatedly block it.

Liberal Democrats oppose mandatory digital IDs 👇

A fine thread opposing ID cards. I too am against this sort of thing.

I agree with Alistair....

Liberal Democrats cannot support mandatory digital IDs. People shouldn't be criminalised just because they don't want to hand over their private data.

A must-read thread from Alistair Carmichael on a mandatory digital ID scheme. I am firmly with Alistair on this.

Writing in the Scotsman this evening on Keir Starmer’s newly confirmed mandatory digital ID card scheme - and why I do not intend to go along with it. Thread: www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...

My good buddy @amcarmichaelmp.bsky.social is 100% right on this matter

So Starmer is going to follow Blair down the ID cards route, making them compulsory for all adults. I appreciate they are seductive and will be presented as an extension of what many of us do, but my thoughts below on why I think in the end it should be #STILLNO2ID open.substack.com/pub/bpwillia...

I am a Liberal and I am against this sort of thing. www.thetimes.com/article/3fed...

Unfortunately Alistair acted too late to avoid having an antenna implanted in his head. Read the @bigbrotherwatch.bsky.social report yourself at bigbrotherwatch.org.uk/campaigns/no... to avoid the same fate!

I spoke this week at an event held by @bigbrotherwatch.bsky.social on their latest report on digital ID. Keir Starmer's government is reportedly aiming to introduce such a system - Big Brother Watch's report sets out the serious problems with digital ID for the UK, something liberals must resist.

Liberal Democrats are winning again. The Holyrood election in May is an opportunity for change with fairness at its heart. Because Scotland deserves better - and with the Scottish Liberal Democrats, you can vote for it. youtu.be/LAih0M1UgMg

Nigel Farage is on the side of Elon Musk, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. Liberal Democrats are on the side of the British people.

The Govt is hammering farmers: ❌️ Family Farm Tax ❌️ Scrapped SFI ❌️ Reckless trade deals Blow after blow, with rural communities hung out to dry. I'll always back our farmers. They feed us. They sustain us. They deserve our support. #BackBritishFarming

Well put. To put it another way - you need practical policies but you also need to know the basic political principles that underpin them - and be able to articulate and defend those principles (whether liberalism, social democracy, conservatism etc).

Banks is now a politician - he was a candidate for a significant elected office just a few months ago. There is room for jokes in politics but there is also an understanding that the words of politicians carry more weight, precisely because of our role.

In general we could all stand to be better at recognising that "unpleasant but lawful" speech cuts both ways. I will defend the right for many unpleasant things to be said without censorship - but just because something is and should be legal to say does not make it "right" or kind to say.

🚨You can watch our latest party political broadcast tonight: 🔸STV 18:25 🔸BBC One Scotland 18:55

Fortunately there is no prospect of bungee jumping in the Northern Isles. One strong gust and you would wake up in Norway.

Worth a read by Ben Williams, on why Liberals should continue to argue against digital ID cards in the UK. Ben is the sort of Liberal who can properly articulate both the principled and practical issues at play here - we should all take note. #StillNO2ID

If you are fed up with the two old parties letting you down. If you are scared of the rise of racism and extremism. If you believe in decency, tolerance and the rule of law. Join us. Because we believe in the British people. We love our country. And together, we can change it for good.

Urgency. Govt action to sanction Israel. Banning arms & co-operation with genocide. Forceful voices in Sunday’s #LibDemConference debate on Palestine. @calummillerld.bsky.social #ManuelaPerteghellaMP #AndrewGeorgeMP @amcarmichaelmp.bsky.social @ldfpalestine.bsky.social #Anne-MarieSimpson

As a minimum the @libdems.org.uk should demand that Labour’s scheme is made optional and if not, in keeping with the party’s longstanding commitment to protecting civil liberties, they should oppose the Government’s plans. @eddavey.libdems.org.uk @lisasmartmp.bsky.social @amcarmichaelmp.bsky.social

Congratulations to Liam McArthur on being named Holyrood's MSP of the Year!

Writing in the Scotsman today on why Peter Mandelson affair should be a lesson in humility to the Labour inner circle of Very Clever People. Thread: 1/ www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...

Very pleased to join my colleagues, @willforster.bsky.social and @amcarmichaelmp.bsky.social in calling on the Chancellor to freeze spirits duty in the upcoming Autumn Budget. The value of the Scotch Whisky industry should not be underestimated.

It's Reform's stated ambition to copy the Lib Dems' election strategies, both locally and nationally. But if you look at the candidate training listed for the upcoming Lib Dem conference, you realise *just how seriously and in detail* the Lib Dems take all of this. Doesn't happen overnight.

Freedom of speech must not just be something that is protected for people from one side of the political spectrum. And if Donald Trump and the MAGA lot believe in free speech, they will presumably welcome this contribution to the public debate… www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... 2/2

The arrest of four people after this incident is an outrageous affront to the freedom of expression enjoyed by UK citizens. It is a human right we all enjoy and is protected in law. 1/2

Ed Davey: “I worry that the populism we’re hearing from all types, whether it’s former Liberal Democrat Mr Polanski, whether it’s the SNP, or whether it’s Nigel Farage, it seems to be they want to divide people. They want to blame people. And I don’t think that’s a way you build a strong society.”

The Liberal Democrats are calling this what it is - a genocide. Too many remain cautious to call it out, but that hesitation is costing lives. Ceasefire now. Lift the illegal aid blockade. End the genocide.

The term ‘genocide’ is not one that should be thrown about lightly but we have all seen and witnessed the man-made humanitarian crisis in Gaza. 2.1 million people are under siege and essentially being slowly starved by Israeli actions. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Elon Musk is a deeply irresponsible man and all party leaders should call him out.

Speaking about the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee report on illegal meat imports, published last week. You can read more here: publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5901/cm...

"If you hold to those liberal beliefs which actually have made our country great, I think that's true patriotism." @EdDavey.LibDems.org.uk

Our bathing waters are visited by thousands of Scots every year, from swimmers to pet owners. They should be able to enjoy our coastline without worrying about what is in the water. The SNP Government needs to finally get serious about the impact of sewage dumping in Scotland.

Delighted to see more coverage of the EFRA committee's report on illegal meat imports - the more political focus we have on tackling this risk to our biosecurity and our food producers, the better. www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...