Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson has been heckled by a Labour-supporting university student whilst on the campaign trail in Glasgow.
A video from the incident, which took place outside the LibDem battle bus at the Finnieston Crane, shows Swinson being challenged about her party’s role in the coalition government and the impact of austerity.
Jay Sutherland, an 18-year-old student from Strathclyde University, told Swinson: “People are dying here, they’re in poverty, because of what you’ve done on austerity.”
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The leader of the LibDems in Scotland, Willie Rennie, then asked the student what he thought of Brexit, to which he replied: “I just think the LibDems are blocking any chance of stopping Brexit. Labour has the best chance of blocking Brexit.”
Today I confronted @joswinson in Glasgow - how ironic that’s she’s in one of the cities that is most affected by austerity that she enabled. I know many people who are suffering from what the Lib Dem’s done while in coalition with the tories. #GE2019 #GeneralElection2019 https://t.co/tCuzge2kqA
— Jay Sutherland (@Jay_Sutherland_) November 22, 2019
When Mr Rennie asked about his views on the climate emergency, he said: “The LibDems support capitalism, capitalism is not a viable option. Socialism is the only opportunity to stop the climate disaster.”
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The heckling comes as the East Dunbartonshire MP insisted she can still be Prime Minister despite a slide in recent polls for her party.
Swinson said “not a single vote has been cast” in the election and she was still in with a chance of leading the country.
Since the early days of the campaign, Ms Swinson has said she is “running to be Prime Minister”.
The latest Ipsos MORI poll shows support for Ms Swinson’s party has dropped by 4 per cent between October and November, now standing at 16 per cent.
Mr Sutherland, from Kilmarnock, is in his first year studying Politics and International Relations.
He told The Herald: “I know so many people who have been affected by what the LibDems did in 2010, it really upsets me, to be honest.
“Austerity is the main thing that comes to mind with the LibDems. People just see them as Tories.
"When you look at people living in poverty in Glasgow, you can’t help but think they let the Tories in in 2010 and caused it all.”
He said he was not a member of a political party but would “probably vote Labour”.
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