The Lib Dems' Scottish question

If you’re looking for a spot of LibCon strife that might actually mean something, then how about Tavish Scott’s interview in Scotland on Sunday? Judging by what he says about David Cameron, the leader of the Scottish Lib Dems clearly isn’t one for coalition niceties:

“I suspect that (David Cameron) doesn’t even think about Scotland. It is not even remotely on his radar screen. He has a Scottish Secretary, and that’s that.”

With the Scottish general elections drifting into view, there’s little doubt that Scott is dissociating his Lib Dems from a Tory party that is unpopular and – as Alex has frequently noted – inept north of Carlisle. But the question for the Scottish Lib Dems is how far they want to take that process.

Tim Montgomerie offers one suggestion that may sound rather peculiar in the current climate: a full coalition between Labour and the Lib Dems in Scotland. But when you consider how a poor Lib Dem performance next year could rock the coalition in Westminster, then I’m sure it’s an option that Scott, and even Nick Clegg, would like to keep open.