Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie has distanced himself from a conference motion urging the party to consider “all options” for Scotland’s future post-Brexit.
The Scottish Conservatives seized on the motion as evidence the party might reconsider its stance on a second referendum on Scottish independence following the vote to leave the European Union.
The Lib Dems said Mr Rennie is confident the motion will be rejected when it comes before delegates at the autumn conference in Dunfermline on Saturday.
He has consistently opposed independence and in August withdrew his party’s support for First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s efforts to explore all possible options for protecting Scotland’s place in Europe, accusing her of “talking about little else” than a second referendum.
The motion, titled A Liberal Scotland in Europe, calls for that support to be restored and for the Scottish Parliamentary party to “commit to exploring all options that may allow Scotland to retain the benefits of EU membership”.
While it states that Scotland’s future would be best served as part of a federal United Kingdom that remains in the EU, it also adds: “Conference believes there is a risk that significant elements of Scotland’s continuing participation in the European community may no longer be possible for as long as it remains in the United Kingdom, and regretfully recognises that Scotland may eventually be forced to prioritise integration with one of these unions at the expense of integration with the other.”
The motion calls on the party’s policy committee to “bring a motion to conference, at a time when the terms for the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union have become clear, that enables a full and frank debate on the best future for Scotland”.
Scottish Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser said: “The Liberal Democrats stood with us two years ago in the campaign to keep the UK together.
“Now it seems one of the main themes of their conference will be to reverse that and get on board with the SNP.
“This is why Willie Rennie has to distance himself from this move, and ensure the party respects the decision made by two million Scots in 2014.”
A Scottish Liberal Democrat spokesman said: “Unlike the Conservatives we allow internal debate in our party.
“Murdo Fraser needs to understand that debating independence does not mean the party supports independence. Willie Rennie is confident the conference will reject this motion and endorse the long standing pro-UK policy of the Liberal Democrats.”
