Willie Rennie
MSP
Official portrait, 2016
Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats
In office
17 May 2011 – 20 August 2021
DeputyJo Swinson
Alistair Carmichael
LeaderSir Nick Clegg
Tim Farron
Sir Vince Cable
Jo Swinson
Sir Ed Davey
Preceded byTavish Scott
Succeeded byAlex Cole-Hamilton
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Scotland
In office
21 August 2019 – 6 January 2020
Serving with Jamie Stone
LeaderJo Swinson
Sir Ed Davey & Brinton/Pack
Preceded byChristine Jardine
Succeeded byWendy Chamberlain
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for North East Fife
Assumed office
5 May 2016
Preceded byRoderick Campbell
Majority7,448 (18.5%)
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Mid Scotland and Fife
In office
5 May 2011 – 24 March 2016
Preceded byTed Brocklebank
Succeeded byAlexander Stewart
Member of Parliament
for Dunfermline and West Fife
In office
9 February 2006 – 12 April 2010
Preceded byRachel Squire
Succeeded byThomas Docherty
Personal details
Born
William Cowan Rennie

(1967-09-27) 27 September 1967
Fife, Scotland
Political partyScottish Liberal Democrats
SpouseJanet Rennie (1992–present)
Children2 sons
Alma materPaisley College of Technology
City of Glasgow College

William Cowan Rennie (born 27 September 1967) is a Scottish politician who served as the Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats from 2011 to 2021. He has served as the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for North East Fife since 2016, and previously as a list MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife (from 2011 to 2016) and as Member of Parliament (MP) for Dunfermline and West Fife (from 2006 to 2010).

After college, Rennie was a Liberal Democrat election campaigner and official before working as a public relations consultant in the private sector. He became the MP for Dunfermline and West Fife after a by-election win in February 2006. He later lost this seat to the Labour Party at the 2010 general election. He briefly served as a Special Government Adviser for the Liberal Democrat Scottish Secretaries of State Danny Alexander and Michael Moore at the Scotland Office.[1]

He was then elected to the Scottish Parliament in the May 2011 election. He was elected as an additional member for the Mid Scotland and Fife region.[2] He was soon after elected unopposed as leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, replacing Tavish Scott. At the 2016 Scottish Parliament election, Rennie was elected MSP for the constituency seat of North East Fife. Rennie was re-elected in the 2021 Scottish Parliament election, but resigned as Lib Dem leader two months later and was replaced by Alex Cole-Hamilton.

Early life and education

Rennie was born on 27 September 1967, in Fife, to Peta and Alexander Rennie.[3] He grew up in Strathmiglo where his family ran the village shop. Rennie went to Bell Baxter High School in Cupar, Fife, before going to Paisley College of Technology, where he graduated with a BSc in biology. After that, he received a Diploma in Industrial Administration at City of Glasgow College.

Rennie lives in Kelty with his wife Janet.[4] Rennie was one of the 50 MPs who ran a mile to raise money for Sport Relief[5] finishing close behind the winner, David Davies.

Political career

Early political career: 1990–2001

While a student at Paisley College of Technology he was deputy president of the student union. Rennie ran the Scottish Young Liberal Democrats (later reformed as Liberal Youth Scotland) and after graduation went on to work for the English Liberal Democrats in Cornwall. He then went on to work for the Liberal Democrats' campaigns department, and was the successful agent in the 1993 Christchurch by-election in Dorset.

After managing the party's campaigns in the South West England region in the 1997 General Election, he moved back to Scotland where he was Chief Executive of the Scottish Liberal Democrats from 1997 to 1999, and then the party's Chief of Staff in the new Scottish Parliament from 1999–2001.

McEwan Purvis: 2001–2006

From 2001 to 2006 he worked for the small Scottish communications firm McEwan Purvis as an account director helping advise businesses and charities such as the Royal Society of Chemistry and Asthma UK. During his time at McEwan Purvis, Rennie was a press adviser to Fife Council's Liberal Democrat Opposition Group and a member of the Dunfermline Focus editorial team, working with Dunfermline's Lib Dem councillors on local issues.

Member of Parliament: 2006–2010

After Labour MP Rachel Squire died, Rennie stood in the Dunfermline and West Fife by-election on 9 February 2006 and overturned a Labour majority of 11,800 to win the seat with a swing to his party of 16.24%.[6] In the House of Commons, he was a member of the Liberal Democrat defence spokesperson team, chair of their parliamentary campaigns unit, and a member of the Commons Defence Select Committee.

During his time as an MP, he campaigned on local constituency issues such as abolishing the bridge tolls, banning sex offenders from being driving instructors in 2008,[7] improvements to cancer services at Queen Margaret Hospital, and local jobs (including at Longannet Power Station and Rosyth Dockyard).

In the General Election of 6 May 2010, Rennie lost his seat to the Labour candidate Thomas Docherty.

Special Adviser and consultant: 2010–2011

He was then for a time Special Adviser to the new Liberal Democrat Scottish Secretary Michael Moore MP.

Elected MSP and Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats: since 2011

Rennie speaking in 2013

Rennie returned to front-line politics as an MSP when he won a regional list seat for the Liberal Democrats in the Scottish Parliament's Mid Scotland and Fife region at the Holyrood elections on 5 May 2011. He was the only new Liberal Democrat MSP to win a seat in this election.

After the resignation of leader Tavish Scott, Rennie stood in the resulting leadership election. He was the only candidate to be nominated, and was declared elected when the nominations closed on 17 May. He vowed to stand up to the "SNP bulldozer" majority, and refused to distance his party from the UK Liberal Democrats.[8]

During the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, Rennie campaigned alongside Better Together to remain in the United Kingdom.[9] He opposes a second independence referendum, favouring a more federal UK.[10][11]

In the 2016 Scottish Parliament election, the Liberal Democrats again elected five MSPs, while gaining two constituency seats and holding their existing two with increased majorities. Rennie was elected in North East Fife, gaining it from the SNP with a 9.5% swing.

Rennie was re-elected in North East Fife for the 2021 Scottish Parliament election,[12] with doubled majority.[13] On 12 July 2021, Rennie announced his resignation as leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, effective from September.[14] He was replaced by Alex Cole-Hamilton, the MSP for Edinburgh Western.[15]

Home Rule commission plan

In September 2011, Rennie announced plans for a commission building on the work of the Lord Steel Commission to develop a blueprint for Home Rule and full fiscal federalism that would map out further devolution of powers after the Scotland Bill 2011 was passed into statute.[16][17]

Willie Rennie was appointed as an honorary patron of Armed Forces Legal Action (AFLA) in April 2014. AFLA is a network of British law firms offering discounted legal services to members of the British military community, founded by Scottish solicitor and former Scottish Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate Allan Steele, WS.[18]

References

  1. ↑ "David Cameron's PR director Andy Coulson paid £140,000". BBC News. 10 June 2010. Archived from the original on 11 December 2019. Retrieved 10 June 2010.
  2. ↑ Victor Clements (25 September 2010). "Regional List results". Perth and Kinross Liberal Democrats. Archived from the original on 8 July 2011.
  3. ↑ "Rennie, William Cowan, (born 27 Sept. 1967), Member (Lib Dem) Fife North East, Scottish Parliament, since 2016 (Scotland Mid and Fife, 2011–16); Leader, Scottish Lib Dems, since 2011", Who's Who, Oxford University Press, 1 December 2007, doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u59405, ISBN 978-0-19-954088-4, archived from the original on 12 June 2021, retrieved 11 July 2021
  4. ↑ "'Kelty boy' Willie Rennie to replace Tavish Scott as leader of Scottish Liberal Democrats". thecourier.co.uk. 13 May 2011. Archived from the original on 17 May 2011.
  5. ↑ "Welsh glory as MPs run a mile for charity". icwales.icnetwork.co.uk. 28 February 2008. Archived from the original on 5 April 2022. Retrieved 19 March 2008.
  6. ↑ "Lib Dems deliver blow to Labour". 10 February 2006. Archived from the original on 23 December 2006. Retrieved 23 March 2008.
  7. ↑ Brown, Alexander (21 April 2021). "Willie Rennie reveals proudest moment in politics was banning driving instructors convicted of sexual offences". The Scotsman. Archived from the original on 26 April 2021. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  8. ↑ "Willie Rennie named new Scottish Lib Dem leader". BBC News. 17 May 2011. Archived from the original on 29 August 2011.
  9. ↑ Gordon, Tom (24 April 2021). "Rennie queries if SNP majority would be 'legitimate' Indyref2 mandate". HeraldScotland. Herald and Times Group. Newsquest Media Group. Archived from the original on 26 April 2021. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  10. ↑ Marlborough, Conor (9 April 2021). "'Improving our democracy': Willie Rennie launches plans for federal UK and an elected House of Lords". www.scotsman.com. Archived from the original on 26 April 2021. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  11. ↑ Ross, Calum (20 April 2021). "Willie Rennie: There will never be a 'reasonable' time to hold IndyRef2". The Courier. DC Thomson Media. Archived from the original on 26 April 2021. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  12. ↑ Davidson, Peter (7 May 2021). "Scottish Election 2021: Willie Rennie retains seat in North East Fife". Daily Record. Archived from the original on 11 September 2021. Retrieved 11 September 2021.
  13. ↑ Warrender, Claire (7 May 2021). "Willie Rennie doubles majority in North East Fife and sends 'clear message to the SNP'". The Courier. Archived from the original on 11 September 2021. Retrieved 11 September 2021.
  14. ↑ "Willie Rennie to stand down as Scottish Lib Dem leader". BBC News. 12 July 2021. Archived from the original on 12 July 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  15. ↑ Barrie, Douglas (20 August 2021). "Alex Cole-Hamilton named new Scottish Liberal Democrats leader". www.standard.co.uk. Archived from the original on 11 September 2021. Retrieved 11 September 2021.
  16. ↑ "Lib Dems to float commission on 'Home Rule' for Scotland". Archived from the original on 16 November 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  17. ↑ "Scottish Lib Dems to set up new powers commission". BBC News. 20 September 2011. Archived from the original on 20 September 2011.
  18. ↑ "AFLA". AFLA. Archived from the original on 28 May 2014. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
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