Ed Davey needs to focus on Scotland and the Holyrood election if the Lib Dems are to make gains next year

The Lib Dem leader name-checked Nigel Farage a whopping 30 times, with Donald Trump close behind on 24 mentions.

The Conservatives were mentioned 18 times and Labour ten times.

But there were only four indirect references to Scotland - despite the Lib Dems potentially deciding who runs the Scottish Government next year.

You would be forgiven for thinking Sir Ed had forgotten there is a crucial Holyrood election next year. If he wants his party to make gains in 2026, he needs to focus at least some of his attention on Scotland.

Scotland barely gets a mention

It is understandable Sir Ed focused on Mr Trump and Mr Farage.

He is the only UK party leader who is very critical of the US president and Reform UK have been leading in the polls for months. It also plays up to the party membership and allows him to appear different to Labour.

But dozens of mentions of the two men is excessive - particularly given there is no general election planned for years and Mr Trump’s state visit has been and gone.

On the other hand, there is a Scottish election in eight months time and Sir Ed decided against saying anything about it.

The only references to Scotland were Loch Ness and Hogmanay being included in a list of “the many incredible strengths this United Kingdom has going for it” and two swipes at the “failures and division of the SNP”.

Holyrood chances

Scottish Lib Dem figures are confident they should make some gains at next year’s election.

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The party has recently bolstered its MSP group from four to five, after West Scotland Tory Jamie Greene defected. The four seats it won last time were all constituencies - and it has its eyes on more.

The party is hoping it could win the Strathkelvin and Bearsden and Caithness, Sutherland and Ross seats. These were areas where the Lib Dems gained at last year’s general election.

It may have a chance to come through the middle in Inverness and Nairn as veteran nationalist Fergus Ewing stands against the SNP. Throw in a list seat here and there, and the Lib Dem group could be double its current size.

Deciding factor

With the SNP expected to lose seats, Labour polling poorly and Reform on the rise, a hung parliament is looking more and more likely. This could mean that a Lib Dem grouping of roughly ten seats could decide who is in Bute House.

The Lib Dems have been in this position before, winning 17 seats in the first two Holyrood elections and entering government as junior coalition partners. This might not happen next spring, but it is still likely the Lib Dems will have a fair amount of influence over the next Scottish Government.

This makes it even more bizarre that Sir Ed did not mention the Scottish Parliament election in his speech at all. In an area where the Lib Dems could have a real impact, he ignored it completely.

This does not scream to voters that Scotland is a priority for the party and could drive potential voters away.

If Sir Ed wants his party to do well next year, he has to focus on Scotland a lot more. Adding a line or two to his speeches would be a start.