Scottish Lib Dem leader defends ‘fake news' interviews in Holyrood
Alex Cole-Hamilton said the videos had a ‘serious message’ but critics called them ‘deeply misleading’
The leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats has defended “fake news” interviews in Holyrood that opponents have labelled “deeply misleading”.
Alex Cole-Hamilton said he would not apologise for “trying to think of new and dynamic ways to improve our social media game”.
He said the videos had a “serious message” and were an attempt to reach people who might not otherwise engage.
Mr Cole-Hamilton has been criticised in recent weeks after posting clips after First Minister’s Questions in Holyrood in which he is questioned by Lib Dem staff.
The videos are styled like a genuine approach by a news reporter, with the Lib Dem leader even pretending to walk past when he is hailed by the interviewer.
Journalists have called them “really dodgy”.
Tory MSP Craig Hoy said: “These cringeworthy ‘fake news’ interviews’ only purpose seem to be massaging Alex Cole-Hamilton’s already inflated ego.
“They are deeply misleading and he should stop this performative nonsense when he leaves the chamber having frequently failed to lay a glove on John Swinney.”
Asked about the videos by The Scotsman, Mr Cole-Hamilton said: “It’s not fake news. We’re not trying to pretend to be something we’re not.
“People know they’re not real journalists. You guys tell people they’re not real journalists.
“But everyone is talking about it, and they weren’t talking about us in those quarters before.
“But look, there’s always a serious message. We’re not trying to have fun with this.
“I was talking about the fact, as I asked the First Minister last week, two care experienced young people have died in the last three weeks, but he wouldn’t know it because they have no means of tracking that.
“I think it’s important when you’ve got a really important message, a serious message, that you find different and sometimes colourful ways of getting that in front of people’s eyeballs.”
Asked if the party should flag that these are not genuine news interviews, he said: “It literally says at the end, ‘printed and published by the Liberal Democrats’.
“That’s what we’re required to do under the Representation of the People Act, and we do it.
“I don’t make an apology for trying to think of new and dynamic ways to improve our social media game.”
This disclaimer does not appear in the clips posted by Mr Cole-Hamilton on X.
Mr Cole-Hamilton added: “In politics, you need to earn the right to an audience. You need to reach people who wouldn’t normally tune into what you’re saying, so we have to mix it up. We have to put the ball in the air sometimes.”
He was speaking ahead of the Scottish Lib Dem conference, which is being held in Edinburgh this weekend.
Mr Cole-Hamilton said parliamentary arithmetic means his the party is now “the most powerful” in Holyrood.
“The SNP don’t have a majority,” he said. “I think that clearly, their relationship with the Greens in particular has soured and they are looking for reasonable, evidence-led policy and partners for that. But we’ll exact a high price for that influence.”
Elsewhere, he denied manoeuvring against Edinburgh West MP Christine Jardine, who recently announced she will not seek re-election. Party sources have suggested Kevin Lang, a councillor and close friend of Mr Cole-Hamilton’s, has been eyeing up her constituency.
“There was no coup or plan to manoeuvre somebody else in to take her seat,” Mr Cole-Hamilton said.
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