Willie Rennie: Lib Dem agenda 'fits with the modern public mood in Scotland'

The Scottish Liberal Democrats’ manifesto “fits with the modern public mood in Scotland” on justice issues, Willie Rennie has claimed, as the party unveiled a raft of commitments on policing, prisons and civil liberties.

The party has set out plans for radical drug policy reform, a presumption against short prison sentences of less than 12 months and decriminalisation of sex work.

Among other commitments to be put forward are the retention of the requirement for corroboration in criminal cases and repeal of the controversial Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications Act.

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Rennie, who unveiled their manifesto for the next parliamentary session at a soft play centre in Edinburgh today, said: “We say it as it is, we’re very clear.

“But I think our agenda actually fits with the modern public mood in Scotland. I think people, as we saw with equal marriage, are much more relaxed about these issues.

“They see the value of a long-term plan to deal with the prison population, to deal with crime, to deal with drugs, to deal with prostitution - they see the real value in that.

“We’re not reckless on these things, we want to try and help people, and that’s why having a longer-term liberal approach to things, I think, chimes with people in Scotland now.”

The Lib Dem manifesto vows to work with the recently launched Scottish Sentencing Council to change prosecution and sentencing guidelines to refer those arrested for possession of drugs for personal use for treatment, education or civil penalties rather than face a prison sentence.

The party has also said it will “explore” whether the approach taken in Portugal whereby all those arrested for personal possession drug offences are referred to an assessment panel “can bring benefits to Scotland”.

The prospect of heroin-assisted treatment has also been raised after the party committed to the controversial measure “where this is judged to be the safest and most effective option”.

Amid controversy over the soon-to-be implemented ‘named person’ policy, the party has pledged to keep the legislation “under review to ensure no local authorities exceed the expectation of the legislation”, though the Scottish Lib Dem leader stopped short of calling for a “pause” as Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale has.

He said: “Cautious support has always been our position. We supported the legislation [but] we understand people’s deep-seated concerns.

“We need to make sure it is monitored very carefully and if there is any indication at all that it is over-reaching we need to pull back and review to make sure that it is going to be done properly. We don’t want local authorities to overreach within that so that’s our approach.”

Legislation to “prohibit physical punishment of children” is also advocated by the party after the UN Human Rights Committee, a body of 18 international experts who monitor the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, called for a ban on parents smacking their children at home.

Rennie had previously confirmed the Lib Dems would seek to extend the presumption against short prison sentences from three months to a year, while the manifesto published today also calls for the extension of throughcare “for all prisoners, not just those serving sentences of more than four years”.

Meanwhile, the Scottish Lib Dem leader has confirmed the party will push for local scrutiny committees to be given “effectively a veto” over local policing plans.

Current legislation requires local commanders to submit local police plans to local authorities for “approval”, though the Police and Fire Reform Act 2012 is silent on what should happen in the event that approval is not given.

“What they have got just now is general consultation and engagement but there is no veto of it,” said Rennie. “Take Highland [Council], for instance: Highland said no guns on the street on routine duties, they were ignored. That would never happen [under this policy].”

The manifesto also pledges to “strengthen” the role of the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner to “look into serious incidents, addressing the shortcoming in the present power to question police officers immediately after a serious incident”.