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Alex Cole-Hamilton
Alex Cole-Hamilton
Alex Cole-Hamilton
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Alexander Geoffrey Cole-Hamilton (born 22 July 1977) is an English politician who has served as Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats since 2021 and the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Edinburgh Western constituency since 2016.

Key Information

Early life and career

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Cole-Hamilton was born in Hertfordshire, England, the son of inorganic chemist Dr David John Cole-Hamilton, FRSE, FRSC, a lecturer at the University of Liverpool and speech therapist and marine archaeological academic Elizabeth Ann, daughter of RCNVR officer and government employee Bruce Lloyd Brown (1914-2002), of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, grandson of Alexander Brown, co-founder of Christie, Brown and Company, the largest Canadian manufacturer of biscuits.[1][2][3] His great-grandfather Richard Cole-Hamilton was Archdeacon of Brecon from 1947 to 1955. The Cole-Hamiltons descend from Arthur Cole-Hamilton, younger son of the Irish politician John Cole, 1st Baron Mountflorence, of Florence Court, whose eldest son and heir, William, was created Earl of Enniskillen. Relatives include Anni Cole-Hamilton, founder of the private Moray Firth School, and Air Vice Marshal John Cole-Hamilton.[4][5] Cole-Hamilton's family moved from Lancashire to Scotland when he was 8 years old.

After attending Madras College, a state school in St Andrews,[6] he graduated from the University of Aberdeen with a degree in politics and international relations. There, he was President of the Students' Representative Council from 1999 until 2000, where he was actively involved in negotiations with coalition ministers to abolish tuition fees in Scotland.

On leaving Aberdeen in 2000, he was appointed to the role of constituency organiser in the Liberal Democrat held constituency of Edinburgh West. He went on to work for the Liberal Democrats in the Scottish Parliament until late 2003 at which point he was appointed as a policy and communications officer in the Children’s voluntary sector, where he worked for various organisations until his election in 2016, including YouthLink Scotland and Aberlour Child Care Trust.[7] During this time he was also a Director of and then latterly the Convener of "Together (Scottish Alliance for Children's Rights)".[8]

As part of 'Operation Clark County', Cole-Hamilton wrote to a voter in Clark County, Ohio in an attempt to influence the 2004 United States presidential election.[9]

Political career

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Early career and Scottish Parliament

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Cole-Hamilton stood in several constituencies unsuccessfully as a Lib Dem candidate: at the 2003 Scottish Parliament election for the Kirkcaldy constituency;[10] at the 2005 general election for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath; in 2007 for Stirling[11] and in 2011 for Edinburgh Central.[12]

Cole-Hamilton addressing a Liberal Democrat conference in the Bournemouth International Centre in 2017.

Following the 2015 general election, Deputy Prime Minister and Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg quoted Cole-Hamilton when delivering his resignation speech. He referred to the 2011 Scottish Parliament election, saying "In 2011 after a night of disappointing election results for our party in Edinburgh, Alex Cole-Hamilton said this: if his defeat was part-payment for the ending of child detention, then he accepted it with all his heart. Those words revealed a selfless dignity which is very rare in politics, but common amongst Liberal Democrats."[13]

In May 2016, Cole-Hamilton was elected to the Scottish Parliament for the Edinburgh Western constituency.[14] After the election, he was made Scottish Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Health. Cole-Hamilton's 2016 electoral expenses were investigated in June of the following year,[15] according to the Edinburgh Evening News: "Mr Cole-Hamilton recorded the highest election costs of any Edinburgh candidate, spending £32,549 on his campaign while his rival for the Edinburgh Western seat, SNP candidate Tony Giugliano, spent £18,593." While Cole-Hamilton was cleared of any wrongdoing, the party was fined for failing to file an accurate spending return on its national spending return. He received the 'one to watch' award at the Herald – Scottish Politician of the Year Awards in August 2016.[16]

In 2018, Cole-Hamilton successfully persuaded the Scottish Government to reverse a planned funding cut to HIV Scotland that would have sunk that organisation.[17] In 2020, during parliamentary deliberation of the first Coronavirus Act, Cole-Hamilton introduced amendments which forced a government U-turn on their proposals to abolish jury trials in Scotland for the duration of the emergency.[18]

From 2019 until March 2021, he was a member of the Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints against the former First Minister, Alex Salmond.[19]

In February 2021, Cole-Hamilton was forced to apologise after having been seen swearing at Minister for Children and Young People Maree Todd during an online committee hearing.[20] He wrote Todd a letter of apology, as well as publicly apologising in the Holyrood Chamber the week after, saying his language was “neither parliamentary nor respectful.”[21] The National reported in February 2024 that revisions to Cole-Hamilton’s Wikipedia article relating to the incident were ‘removed’ via a computer in the Scottish Parliament.[22]

At the 2021 Scottish Parliament election, Cole-Hamilton received 25,578 votes, the highest number of votes ever cast for a single candidate in the Scottish Parliament election. He beat the runner-up, SNP candidate Sarah Masson, by 9,885 votes.[23]

Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats

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See also: 2021 Scottish Liberal Democrats leadership election
Cole-Hamilton speaking in the Scottish Parliament in May 2024.

On 27 July 2021, Cole-Hamilton announced his intention to stand in the upcoming Scottish Liberal Democrats leadership election to replace Willie Rennie.[24] He won the election unopposed on 20 August 2021 and took office the same day.[25] He led the party into the 2022 local elections, which saw an increase of 20 councillors to 87, and increased vote share to 8.7%.[26]

He has prioritised campaigning on children's mental health, long covid, tackling the climate crisis and supporting Ukrainian refugees. He was sanctioned by the Kremlin in August 2022 following his public criticism of the Russian invasion of Ukraine,[27] and his efforts to highlight Russian influence in Scotland.

Cole-Hamilton spoke at an Oxford Union debate on Scottish independence on 24 February 2023. during which he compared the Yes movement with the push for Brexit. This was criticised by Corri Wilson, deputy general secretary of the independence supporting Alba Party.[28]

In December 2023, Cole-Hamilton was criticised after he attempted to take part in a parliamentary debate through video link from outside the parliamentary bar.[29][30]

He disagreed with First Minister John Swinney's attempts to exclude Reform UK from a across-party summit to counter the far-right, telling BBC Scotland that he had “deep concerns about anything which aims to stifle a democratically elected voice" preferring instead to defeat arguments he disagrees with in "open ground".[31]

2024 general election

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See also: 2024 United Kingdom general election in Scotland

"Many Scots are feeling scunnered and politically homeless right now. There is a home for you with the Liberal Democrats if you believe in bringing decency and respect back into our politics, if you are open and outward looking, because our communities need local champions focused on what really matters and getting things done."

- Alex Cole-Hamilton[32]

Upon Humza Yousaf’s resignation as First Minister in May 2024, Cole-Hamilton submitted his name for nomination as Scotland's next FM. He received four votes at the First Minister selection, losing to John Swinney who succeeded Yousaf as the leader of the SNP.[33]

After Rishi Sunak called a general election on 22 May, Cole-Hamilton began campaigning for the Lib Dems, looking to “tear down the acid yellow wall of the SNP”.[34] Cole-Hamilton said the campaign would purposely avoid mentioning Scottish independence as an issue.[35] He instead prioritized housing, education, and NHS dental care among other issues.[36] Cole-Hamilton represented the Lib Dems in a STV debate on 3 June, the first debate of the general election.[37] He participated in another debate on 11 June hosted by BBC Scotland.[38] On 17 June, Cole-Hamilton unveiled the Scottish Lib Dems manifesto, which called for more funding for local agriculture, a new minimum wage for care workers, and more support to mental health services, among other issues.[39][40] He also promised to cut energy bills and fix Scotland's "broken" relationship with Europe.[41]

On 26 June, he said he had placed bets on elections in Scottish constituencies, describing them as "low-level bets" to "show confidence in my friends".[42]

The 2024 election produced historic results for the Lib Dems. The party won 72 seats, the most ever in its history.[43] The party won 6 seats in Scotland, gaining two in Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire and Mid Dunbartonshire from the SNP.[44] The former (previously known as Ross, Skye and Lochaber) was held by former Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy from 2005 to 2015.[45] Cole-Hamilton celebrated the results, declaring “There are far more liberals than nationalists on the benches of the House Commons today.”[46][47]

Foreign politics

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In October 2024, Cole-Hamilton announced he would be campaigning in the American swing state of Pennsylvania to knock on doors for the presidential campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party nominee in the 2024 election.[48] He said he and three other Liberal Democrats booked flights as soon as Joe Biden suspended his campaign in July, and described the election as “one of the most important elections in global history.”[49] Cole-Hamilton had previously campaigned for Barack Obama during his 2008 presidential campaign.[50]

Next Scottish Parliament election

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Main article: Next Scottish Parliament election

In April 2025, he welcomed former Conservative MSP Jamie Greene into the Scottish Liberal Democrats, who cited the rise of “right-wing populism” in his former party as the reason for his defection. Cole-Hamilton described Greene an "effective communicator" who possessed "symmetry with our outlook and our values as a party".[51] Cole-Hamilton would later write that Greene's defection to the Lib Dems "felt like a scene from a John le Carré spy novel."[52] Speaking on the BBC’s The Sunday Show, Cole-Hamilton asserted he was comfortable with centre-right MSPs being a part of the Liberal Democrats.[53] He also predicted that more defections would follow, believing Greene's actions spoke to a greater 'realignment' in Scottish politics.[54]

At the party's spring conference held in April 2025, Cole-Hamilton announced that they would prioritize The Highlands at the next Holyrood election, specifically targeting the seats of Kate Forbes and Maree Todd of the SNP.[55]

At the Liberal Democrats national autumn party conference held in Bournemouth on 21 September 2025, Cole-Hamilton pledged that the party would overtake the Scottish Tories in Holyrood, and urged disaffected moderate conservatives to support the Scottish LibDems. He also committed to not forming a coalition with the SNP after the election.[56]

Personal life

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Cole-Hamilton is married to wife, Gillian, a primary school teacher and Liberal Democrat candidate.[57] They live in Blackhall, Edinburgh and have three children.[58][59] In 2019, he resuscitated his daughter after she swallowed a 50c Euro coin. He used the publicity around this to raise awareness of the importance of infant first aid and organised several first aid training events in his constituency.[60]

His relative John Cole-Hamilton was Provost of Kilwinning from 1940 until 1947, Deputy Lord Lieutenant for the County of Ayr in 1951, and Chairman of the Central Ayrshire Conservative Party when that constituency was formed, and Richard Cole-Hamilton, former chief executive of the Clydesdale Bank.[61]

He also has a sister, with whom he stayed with in New York while campaigning for Kamala Harris in Pennsylvania during the 2024 American presidential election campaign.[62]

In May 2024, Cole-Hamilton announced he had been undergoing therapy for online abuse for the past two years. He said the Lib Dems were paying for the therapy, and that he made the announcement to “encourage others who were struggling to reach out and talk”.[63]

His leisure interests include surfing.[64]

References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Alex Cole-Hamilton

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia

Alexander Geoffrey Cole-Hamilton (born 22 July 1977) is a British politician who has served as Leader of the since August 2021 and as for the Western constituency since 2016.
Elected by overturning a majority in the , Cole-Hamilton was re-elected in 2021 and has focused his on critiquing the government, particularly on , and issues such as the A9 dualling. Prior to politics, he held senior policy roles in the , including head of policy at the children's charity and positions leading campaigns for Parkinson's UK and the Royal College of Surgeons of . As party leader, he holds spokesperson responsibilities for , external affairs, constitution, and the drugs emergency, while serving on parliamentary committees related to these areas.
Cole-Hamilton's tenure has emphasized electoral gains for the , targeting SNP-held seats in upcoming elections and advocating policies like increased funding for education and addressing drug-related deaths through evidence-based approaches. He succeeded in a following the , aiming to rebuild the party's presence in a devolved political landscape dominated by the independence debate.

Early life and education

Upbringing and family background

Alexander Geoffrey Cole-Hamilton was born on 22 July 1977 in , , before relocating to with his family at the age of seven, where he grew up. His upbringing occurred in a household supportive of the Liberal Democrats, fostering an early interest in politics; at age nine, he assisted in campaigning by delivering leaflets during the 1987 general election. Cole-Hamilton's father is Professor Dai Cole-Hamilton, a detail he has publicly acknowledged in personal communications. Limited public information exists on his mother or siblings, though family ties extend to notable relatives including Air Force Brigadier General John Cole-Hamilton.

Academic and early influences

Cole-Hamilton attended Madras College, a state in , , where he completed his education before pursuing higher studies. He subsequently enrolled at the , graduating with an MA in politics and . His undergraduate coursework included focused study on British foreign policy in the , encompassing historical treaties, mandates, and territorial delineations post-World War I, which informed his later perspectives on international . At Aberdeen, Cole-Hamilton engaged actively in student charities tackling poverty and , experiences that cultivated his interest in advocacy and laid groundwork for his subsequent professional roles in non-governmental organizations. These activities, rather than specific mentors or ideological figures, appear to have been primary early influences, fostering a practical orientation toward social issues over abstract political theory.

Pre-political career

Professional roles in advocacy and charity

Cole-Hamilton began his professional career in the third sector, focusing on children's welfare and youth advocacy in . He served as Head of Policy at Aberlour Child Care Trust, a children's charity dedicated to supporting vulnerable families and advocating for reforms in and early intervention services. In this role, which he held by at least 2008, he engaged in lobbying efforts on issues such as to children and broader child welfare legislation, including public advocacy for initiatives like the Named Person scheme aimed at early identification of at-risk youth. Prior to or alongside his work at , Cole-Hamilton contributed to YouthLink , the national youth work umbrella body that promotes policy and practice improvements for young people aged 11-25, including for enhanced youth services and funding. His involvement in these organizations encompassed developing recommendations, collaborating with government bodies, and representing charitable interests in public consultations, drawing on direct experience with youth support programs. These positions provided Cole-Hamilton with expertise in navigating Scotland's charitable and landscapes, emphasizing empirical needs assessments over ideological priorities, though critics of certain advocated policies, such as expanded state oversight in , have questioned their causal in preventing harm. His third-sector tenure, spanning over a decade before his 2016 election, underscored a focus on practical interventions for disadvantaged children rather than abstract social engineering.

Political career

Entry into politics and 2016 election

Cole-Hamilton, born into a family active in the Liberal Democrats, began political campaigning at age nine by delivering leaflets during the 1987 general election. He joined the party early in life and, after a career in children's —including as head of at the Aberlour Child Care Trust—became motivated to seek elected office upon observing gaps in political responses to child welfare issues. This led to his selection as the ' candidate for the Edinburgh Western constituency in the in March 2014, following the retirement of previous Liberal Democrat MSP Margaret Smith. Prior to the 2016 election, Cole-Hamilton had contested Holyrood seats unsuccessfully, reflecting the Liberal Democrats' diminished standing after the 2011 election wipeout amid coalition controversies at Westminster. In the campaign for the 5 May 2016 Scottish Parliament election, he positioned the party as a pro-Union alternative emphasizing education, health, and local issues in Edinburgh Western, a seat held by the Scottish National Party (SNP) since 2011. Cole-Hamilton won the seat with 16,645 votes (41.9% of the poll), securing a majority of 2,960 over the SNP candidate Giugliano's 13,685 votes (34.4%). The Conservatives' Sandie Batho received 5,686 votes (14.3%), and Labour's Cat Headley 3,750 (9.4%), on a turnout of 64.7% from an electorate of 61,666. This victory marked the Liberal Democrats' only constituency gain from the SNP in 2016, amid a broader SNP majority but with the Liberal Democrats retaining a regional list presence.

MSP tenure prior to leadership (2016-2021)

Cole-Hamilton served as a (MSP) for the Western constituency from 5 May 2016 until the 2021 election, during which he acted as the ' party spokesperson on from his election date until 4 May 2021. In this capacity, he scrutinized the (SNP) government's handling of (NHS) matters, including raising concerns over systemic pressures on healthcare services amid rising demand and resource constraints. He also held membership on the parliamentary Health and Sport Committee from 8 June 2016 to 4 May 2021, where he contributed to examinations of , legislation, and performance metrics, such as scrutinizing budget allocations and service delivery outcomes. Additionally, Cole-Hamilton was deputy convener of the Equalities and Committee from 29 September 2016 to 4 May 2021, focusing on legislative compliance with standards and equality impacts across government policies. He served as a substitute member on the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee during the same period, addressing issues like agricultural support and infrastructure development. From 6 February 2019 to 4 May 2021, he participated in the Committee on the Handling of Harassment Complaints, which investigated the executive's procedures in addressing allegations against former Alex Salmond; during Salmond's 26 February 2021 evidence session, Cole-Hamilton's line of questioning was rebuked by the committee convener for straying from the remit, prompting procedural interventions. In September 2021, shortly after the committee's , Cole-Hamilton publicly expressed regret for his involvement, stating it had likely harmed and upset the women complainants involved in the original process.

2021 leadership election and ascension

Following the election on 5 May 2021, in which the retained their four seats amid stagnant national support, incumbent leader announced on 12 July 2021 his decision to step down after a decade in the role, citing the need for "fresh leadership" to revitalize the party. Rennie's tenure had seen the party struggle to recover from the 2015 UK general election wipeout and subsequent Holyrood results, with membership and vote shares remaining low despite targeted constituency gains. Edinburgh Western MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton, who had entered in by flipping his seat from the SNP, declared his candidacy on 27 July 2021, framing his bid around personal experience in children's advocacy and a commitment to addressing social care failures exposed by the . As the only nominee to come forward by the deadline, Cole-Hamilton faced no challengers, reflecting limited internal competition within the party's small parliamentary group. Cole-Hamilton was formally confirmed as leader on 20 August 2021 during a Scottish Liberal Democrats executive meeting, succeeding Rennie immediately and assuming the role ahead of the party's autumn conference. In his acceptance, he pledged to prioritize health policy reform and community-focused opposition to the Scottish National Party government, while maintaining the party's pro-Union stance without altering its core federalist principles. This unopposed transition positioned Cole-Hamilton, at age 44, as a younger face to appeal to voters disillusioned with both SNP dominance and Conservative national leadership under Boris Johnson.

Leadership of the Scottish Liberal Democrats

Strategic direction and party revival efforts

Upon assuming leadership of the in August 2021, Alex Cole-Hamilton emphasized rebuilding the party through sustained opposition to the (SNP) government on devolved competencies such as and education, while advocating federal solutions to constitutional tensions. He prioritized professionalizing party operations, including early candidate recruitment and targeted campaigning to expand local representation, aiming to increase the number of councillors from 87 to over 150 by the 2027 local elections. This involved launching policy commissions, such as one on male violence chaired by , and appealing to voters disillusioned with independence-focused parties, including some former Green supporters prioritizing and over . In October 2022, Cole-Hamilton unveiled a formal recovery plan at the , framing Scotland's as entering the "end game of of nationalisms" and shifting focus toward practical governance reforms like to foster cooperation with unionist parties such as . The strategy included immediate vote-building efforts across parliamentary and local ballots, with an emphasis on budget negotiations to secure tangible wins, exemplified by extracting an additional £15 million for general practitioners in the 2025 Scottish Budget. Revival tactics also encompassed record and , with speeches highlighting organized door-to-door and regional campaigns in areas like and the Highlands to consolidate support. By September 2025, Cole-Hamilton's direction refined these efforts toward overtaking the in the 2026 Holyrood election for the first time in devolution's history, urging disillusioned Conservative voters to defect by positioning Liberal Democrats as a moderate alternative amid the former's electoral decline. Core policy pillars included enhancing healthcare access (GPs, dentists, services), reducing living costs via home insulation and renewables, bolstering pupil support in schools, and repairing infrastructure like roads and ferries—framed as a "realistic plan" to exploit SNP governance failures. These initiatives, coupled with early candidate selections and conference pledges for "hope" over nationalism, aimed to achieve a "historic breakthrough" by broadening the party's appeal beyond traditional strongholds.

2024 UK general election performance

In the 2024 United Kingdom general election, held on 4 July 2024, the under Alex Cole-Hamilton's leadership won six seats in Scotland's 57 constituencies, an increase of two from the four seats secured in . Their vote share rose marginally to 9.7 percent, compared to 9.5 percent in , amid a national surge for the UK Liberal Democrats to 72 seats overall driven by anti-Conservative tactical voting in . In Scotland, the results reflected the party's strategic focus on challenging SNP incumbents in rural and Highland areas, where voter disillusionment with the Scottish National Party's governance on issues like health and ferries provided opportunities, though the first-past-the-post system and Labour's resurgence limited broader gains. Key victories included the gain of Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire by Angus MacDonald with 11,865 votes (29.2 percent), overturning the SNP majority from 2019 through targeted campaigning on local and economic concerns. The party retained strongholds such as and , where secured 6,340 votes (50.7 percent), and Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, held by Jamie Stone with 12,985 votes (38.5 percent), benefiting from incumbency and regional loyalty in sparsely populated areas. Additional seats were captured in constituencies like Gordon and , East Aberdeenshire and Angus South, and Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey, exploiting SNP vulnerabilities exposed by scandals and policy failures. These wins elevated the Scottish Liberal Democrats to third place in , surpassing the Conservatives' five seats. However, the performance was uneven: the party forfeited deposits in 30 constituencies by failing to reach the five percent threshold and experienced vote share declines in 43 of 57 seats, often squeezed by Labour's 35.3 percent vote haul that netted 37 seats. Losses included Edinburgh Western, where Cole-Hamilton's own constituency MSP seat aligned with a narrow defeat for the Westminster candidate to Labour, and North East Fife, reverting to the SNP. Boundary changes under the 2023 review further complicated comparisons, redistributing votes and erasing some 2019 marginals. Cole-Hamilton emphasized post-election that the results validated the party's opposition to SNP "mismanagement" in health and education, positioning it for Holyrood gains in 2026, though analysts noted the gains were modest relative to the UK party's English-focused revival.
PartySeats Won (2024)Vote Share (2024)Seats (2019)Vote Share (2019)
69.7%49.5%

Post-2024 developments and 2026 election outlook

Following the 2024 UK general election, in which the won five seats in —retaining strongholds like and while gaining —Cole-Hamilton shifted focus to the 2026 election, leveraging the party's Westminster performance to rebuild Holyrood presence from its current four MSPs. In November 2024, he explicitly ruled out any post-election coalition agreement with the SNP, citing irreconcilable differences on governance and policy delivery. Throughout 2025, Cole-Hamilton intensified campaigning efforts, targeting SNP vulnerabilities in regions like the Highlands, where he predicted gains that would allow local MSPs "more time to spend with their families." At the Liberal Democrats' autumn in September 2025, he set out election priorities centered on public service reforms, including reducing NHS waiting times and enhancing education funding, while urging disillusioned Scottish Conservative voters to back the party as a pro-Union alternative amid declines. By October 2025, he advocated for strategic use of regional list votes to secure breakthroughs, positioning the party to capitalize on voter frustration with the SNP's 19-year governance record. Polling for the 2026 election indicates modest potential gains for the , with a October 2025 Norstat survey projecting 11 MSPs—primarily through list seats—amid SNP dominance (55 projected) and fragmentation among unionist parties, including Labour (19) and Conservatives (12). This outlook reflects opportunities from SNP scandals and public service failures but challenges from rising support and persistent low constituency vote shares around 7-8%, requiring effective list strategies to exceed the high of five direct seats. Cole-Hamilton's approach emphasizes tactical targeting of winnable SNP marginals, such as the deputy first minister's and Highland constituency, though broader voter pessimism about Scotland's future—evident in 2025 surveys showing doubt in any government's efficacy—complicates pro-UK coordination.

Political positions and policies

Stance on Scottish independence and unionism

Alex Cole-Hamilton has maintained a firm opposition to Scottish independence, positioning himself as a defender of the United Kingdom's unity. In a February 2023 debate at the Oxford Union, he explicitly argued that Scotland should not become independent, emphasizing the practical advantages of shared governance and economic interdependence within the Union over the uncertainties of separation. As leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, a party historically committed to federalism within the UK framework, Cole-Hamilton views the 2014 referendum result—where voters chose to remain—as a settled democratic mandate that should not be revisited through divisive campaigns. Cole-Hamilton has repeatedly described as a low-priority issue for voters, who prioritize everyday concerns like healthcare access over constitutional upheaval. In June 2024, he stated that "no one is talking about ," noting that Scots are more focused on securing GP appointments than on separatist agendas. He has criticized the (SNP) for fixating on breaking up the at the expense of addressing the "miserable state of the Scottish economy" and NHS waiting lists, asserting that such an approach contributed to the SNP's electoral losses and reflects a "delusional" detachment from public sentiment. On the prospect of a second , Cole-Hamilton has vowed to oppose it "at every stage," labeling unauthorized or "wildcat" efforts as a wasteful diversion of political resources. In November 2024, ahead of the Scottish vote, he declared the public "done with the " and insisted that no funds should support independence preparations, advocating instead for investments in . While his party has at times supported broader measures amid dynamics, Cole-Hamilton's core stance remains one of rejecting fiscal or legislative steps toward separation, framing them as contrary to the electorate's desire to move beyond past divisions.

Economic and fiscal policies

As leader of the , Alex Cole-Hamilton has emphasized fairer taxation systems to alleviate cost-of-living pressures, aligning with the UK Liberal Democrats' 2024 proposals to raise approximately £27 billion annually by the end of the next parliament through measures such as reversing cuts to the bank surcharge, introducing a higher rate on banks' profits, closing non-dom tax loopholes, and increasing rates to match levels, while explicitly avoiding increases in , , or VAT for working people. In the Scottish context, where is devolved, Cole-Hamilton's party has critiqued SNP-led tax hikes on higher earners for potentially reducing revenues, as suggested by analysis indicating behavioral responses like migration may have lowered expected income from top-rate increases. Cole-Hamilton has prioritized fiscal negotiations to redirect spending toward public services amid perceived SNP economic mismanagement, securing concessions in the 2025-26 budget such as £15 million additional for general practitioners to address recruitment crises, £4.5 million for support, and further allocations for drug services, neonatal care, social care, and offshore wind development, totaling hundreds of millions in targeted investments after abstaining on the budget vote conditional on these priorities rather than constitutional spending. He has explicitly ruled out supporting budgets containing any funding for referendums, arguing public resources should focus on economic recovery and services like the NHS over divisive constitutional projects. In broader economic vision, Cole-Hamilton positions the as advocates for growth-oriented policies, including boosting offshore renewables and addressing skills gaps, while criticizing SNP governance for contributing to Scotland's lagging economic performance relative to the average, as highlighted in party analyses of underperformance in GDP growth and productivity. For the 2026 Holyrood election, he has outlined and finance as core priorities, with spokesperson roles focused on scrutiny and investments to drive recovery.

Social issues, health, and environment

Cole-Hamilton has advocated for reforms allowing transgender individuals easier access to legal gender recognition, with Scottish Liberal Democrat MSPs, under his leadership, voting in favor of the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill in December 2022, which sought to remove the need for a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria. In April 2025, he described proposals to ban transgender women from female bathrooms as a "dangerous road to go down," arguing they could lead to broader discrimination prohibited under the Equality Act 2010. On end-of-life issues, Cole-Hamilton has supported legislation limited to terminally ill adults, distinguishing it from by emphasizing safeguards for those with disabilities; in a June 2021 , he argued that such a bill would not threaten vulnerable groups and aligned with Liberal Democrat principles of personal autonomy. As health and social care spokesperson, Cole-Hamilton has repeatedly criticized the (SNP) government for NHS mismanagement, including delays in a promised NHS app rollout that left patients without digital access tools as of September 2025, and for wasting £30 million on a failed social care bureaucracy overhaul. He has highlighted rising long-term conditions like and diabetes under SNP rule, attributing them to policy failures, and called the NHS "on its knees" due to hundreds of thousands on waiting lists as of December 2024. Policy proposals include increasing general practitioners (GPs) and their NHS budget share, prioritizing infants, over-70s, and those with chronic conditions, alongside addressing social care neglect by both Holyrood and Westminster governments. Regarding the environment, Cole-Hamilton's positions emphasize practical green measures to reduce household energy costs, including harnessing Scottish renewables, insulating cold homes, and overhauling rules to lower bills, as outlined in his October 2025 conference speech. The under his leadership have committed to cleaning rivers and waterways, with calls in August 2025 for the SNP to reform community benefit rules on renewables to directly cut consumer costs.

Foreign policy and international relations

Cole-Hamilton has positioned the as advocates for robust support to amid 's invasion, emphasizing sanctions, asset seizures, and military aid. In February 2025, marking three years since the invasion, he urged the to stand firm against by utilizing frozen Russian assets for 's defense and enhancing bilateral cooperation. He was sanctioned by in 2022, barring entry to the country, which he described as a "badge of honour" signaling alignment with democratic resistance to aggression. In April 2025, Cole-Hamilton visited , , delivering refurbished ambulances alongside other politicians and calling for to expand contributions, including potential funding for drone production within to bolster its war effort. On the Israel-Palestine conflict, Cole-Hamilton has adopted a critical stance toward , describing its military operations in Gaza as in September 2025, aligning with a UN commission report while advocating for immediate international pressure, including a UK arms embargo. He supported recognition of a Palestinian state as an "essential step" toward during a debate on September 3, 2025, framing it as a practical measure to address historical grievances and halt humanitarian crises. This position marked a first for Scottish Liberal Democrat leadership in explicitly labeling Israel's actions as genocidal, prompting debate over terminology amid ongoing hostilities initiated by Hamas's , 2023, attacks. In broader terms, Cole-Hamilton has promoted an "outward-looking" , criticizing Conservative defense cuts and proposing to reverse reductions in size to address global threats, including those from authoritarian regimes. His approach reflects Liberal Democrat traditions of , though specific endorsements of or reintegration remain tied to party platforms rather than personal interventions, with emphasis on countering Russian influence in .

Criticisms, controversies, and reception

Internal party and leadership critiques

During the initial phase of Alex Cole-Hamilton's leadership following his election in August 2021, a notable internal conflict arose with , the party's Westminster deputy leader and MP for Edinburgh West. Tensions stemmed from post-2019 efforts by Cole-Hamilton to address staff complaints regarding Jardine's conduct, which he sought to investigate promptly, stating, "I think we get everyone who’s willing to come forward right now." None of the allegations against Jardine were formally pursued further, and the pair later developed a collaborative working relationship. Broader critiques within the party highlighted a perceived toxic culture, predating but persisting into Cole-Hamilton's tenure. Former mental health spokeswoman Emma Walker, who departed in February 2020, accused the organization of , , and , claiming these contributed to her developing and describing the complaints process as "heavily weaponised" in a "culture of ‘bully or be bullied’." Similarly, ex-candidate Hoyle criticized the party's management of issues among members, arguing it could "exacerbate distress." Cole-Hamilton provided informal support to Walker amid her claims, though formal complaints were dismissed following independent review. In response to these and earlier concerns, the commissioned a 2020 review leading to overhauled complaints procedures, with the party asserting that all allegations are now handled by independent adjudicators. Cole-Hamilton himself faced internal scrutiny for an incident in which he apologized for swearing at SNP MSP during an online meeting, deeming it "out of character." No formal challenges or votes of no against him have been recorded within the party since assuming office, amid reports of stabilized internal dynamics.

Public gaffes and media backlash

In February 2021, during a virtual committee meeting on , Cole-Hamilton was captured on camera mouthing "fuck you" at SNP Children's Minister after she intervened in his questioning. He initially attributed the outburst to Todd's tone but later issued an unreserved apology in the chamber, acknowledging the language was unparliamentary and disrespectful, and committed to reflecting on his conduct. In December 2023, Cole-Hamilton drew jeers and criticism from fellow MSPs after remotely joining a Holyrood on disabled from what appeared to be outside the parliamentary bar, prompting accusations of treating the vote cavalierly. SNP and Conservative members called for his apology, highlighting the incident as disrespectful to parliamentary proceedings and the issue at hand. In February 2024, Cole-Hamilton faced ridicule after distributing a campaign leaflet claiming he had won the 2023 Award for the most accessible MSP to constituents, an honor actually awarded to Labour's Foysol Choudhury; Cole-Hamilton had received it in 2022 but was not shortlisted in 2023. His party described the error as a oversight, while Choudhury publicly highlighted the discrepancy on , prompting online mockery of the Liberal Democrats' attention to detail. In October 2024, Cole-Hamilton announced he was taking unpaid leave from his leadership duties to campaign for in the US presidential election, eliciting backlash on for diverting focus from Scottish matters amid domestic political pressures. Following Harris's defeat, his public statement expressing regret that he "wish[ed] I'd done more" to support her was derided online as tone-deaf and performative, with critics labeling it cringeworthy given the irrelevance to his Scottish remit.

Ideological challenges from opponents

Scottish nationalists, primarily from the SNP, have ideologically challenged Cole-Hamilton's commitment to the Union as antithetical to liberal democratic principles of national . In a May 2023 debate on , Cole-Hamilton asserted that an independent "can never and should never exist again," equating the independence movement to and arguing it would diminish 's global influence within the framework. This stance prompted backlash from pro-independence outlets, which portrayed it as dismissive of Scots' sovereign will and inconsistent with liberalism's emphasis on via referendums, especially given Liberal Democrats' historical support for electoral mandates. Such critics, often from media aligned with nationalist views like The National, have highlighted incidents like Cole-Hamilton waving a at a 2023 party as evidence of overriding Scottish liberal priorities, accusing him of hypocrisy in decrying "" while embracing Union symbolism. On social issues, progressive opponents including SNP members and Scottish Greens have contested Cole-Hamilton's positions as insufficiently liberal, particularly during the 2022 Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill debates. The Scottish Liberal Democrats, under his leadership, voted against the bill, citing concerns over safeguards for women's spaces and single-sex services, which drew accusations of prioritizing biological essentialism over trans individuals' self-identification rights—a core tenet of modern progressive liberalism. Cole-Hamilton's public lament over the "hate and heat" of the discourse and his explicit regret for "cancel culture" in the debate further intensified claims from bill supporters that he was yielding to conservative or gender-critical influences, undermining the party's purported commitment to individual autonomy and equality. These critiques, echoed in left-leaning commentary, frame his caution as a betrayal of liberalism's evolution toward expansive identity rights, though defenders note the positions align with evidence-based protections empirically linked to safety in sex-segregated facilities. From the right, have occasionally challenged Cole-Hamilton's ideological consistency by portraying his overtures to former voters—such as urging disillusioned Conservatives to join the Lib Dems in 2025—as opportunistic dilution of liberal economic principles with conservative . In September 2025, spokespeople labeled him "dangerously naïve" for initially entertaining SNP budget compromises that risked funding independence campaigns, arguing this reflected a idealism detached from pragmatic unionist realism against separatist threats. Pro-independence leftist outlets have amplified similar doubts about his , as in a 2021 Bella Caledonia piece accusing him of illiberal toward colleagues and parallels to U.S. conservative figures like , suggesting unionism trumps genuine progressive values. These sources, bearing evident nationalist bias, underscore broader tensions where opponents across the spectrum question whether Cole-Hamilton's blend of unionism, market-oriented policies, and selective coheres as principled ideology or tactical .

Personal life

Family and relationships

Alex Cole-Hamilton has been married to Gillian Cole-Hamilton since July 2005. His wife, , has also been active in Liberal Democrat politics, contesting elections including as the party's candidate for and West in 2015 and North Ayrshire and Arran in 2024. The couple has three children: Finn, Kit, and Darcy. In March 2019, Cole-Hamilton publicly described performing emergency on his then four-year-old Darcy after she suffered a near-drowning incident at home, crediting basic first-aid training from school decades earlier.

Public interests and persona

Cole-Hamilton presents a resilient and optimistic public persona, emphasizing his passion for as a driving force, stating in a 2024 that he smiles because "I love . I love what I do." This enthusiasm persists despite the toll of online , which has prompted him to seek monthly counselling—funded by the —for resilience training and support, a practice he credits with helping manage physical symptoms like abdominal pains. He has been a Quaker since age 14, which informs his liberal values, though he describes himself as agnostic while pursuing a personal spiritual journey. His public interests include , for which he owns a 7-foot-10-inch and frequents spots like Belhaven and in , even in cold conditions requiring a 5mm . He enjoys cooking, particularly homemade prepared in a wood pellet-fired oven he acquired, describing it as a source of significant personal joy surpassing other possessions. Cole-Hamilton has also hosted a Ukrainian in his home, reflecting an interest in international humanitarian support, and reads dystopian fiction, such as The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler. A prominent on his upper arm depicts his underwater to his Gillian, conducted 20 meters beneath the during a 2002 trip, an experience he endured a five-hour inking session to commemorate despite the intense pain.

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