Stirling and Clackmannanshire Liberal Democrats

The more Theresa May tries to sound defiant, the more desperate she seems.

After her weak and rattled statement in Salzburg yesterday, Number 10 had little choice but to send her out for a second take today. But this latest attempt to cast herself as a leader who brooks no compromise is utterly unconvincing.

Responding to Theresa May's statement on Brexit, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said:

"Theresa May called an election she didn't need and lost. She said Brexit meant Brexit when she didn't know what it meant. She picked her own cabinet which split. And she's had two years to convince Europe but has failed. She's had her chance, we now need a People's Vote."

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie has today warned Jeremy Corbyn that he is making "all the wrong calls" on Brexit and independence as the Labour party prepares for its autumn conference in Liverpool.

More than 100 constituency Labour parties have submitted motions calling for Labour to back a People's Vote.

Responding to Jeremy Corbyn's comments on the prospect of a second independence referendum, Willie Rennie said:

"This is an extraordinary opinion from Jeremy Corbyn. So many people with moderate and progressive views will be horrified by this careless attitude towards the UK. Liberal Democrats are opposed to independence and opposed to another divisive independence referendum.

Responding to Theresa May's statement on Brexit, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said:

"The Prime Minister has had the most humiliating European summit in recent memory and returned with a tattered Chequers deal, making a no deal Brexit more likely than ever.

"The fiction that this would be the easiest negotiation in history is looking awfully exposed.

A timeline of the P1 standardised testing saga

Today the Scottish Parliament voted against P1 standardised testing.

The Liberal Democrats, Labour, Conservatives and Greens were united in opposition to this time-wasting, resource-draining policy.

The Scottish Government must now respect the will of the Scottish Parliament and halt the tests immediately.

Responding to reports that Aberdeen City Council leaders are looking to scrap national tests for P1s in light of the vote at the Scottish Parliament yesterday, defying the Education Secretary's instruction to continue, the leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats Willie Rennie MSP commented:

"If the Scottish Government won't respect the will of the Scottish Parliament then it is up to councils to respect that will. Any council that agrees to scrap the primary one tests will have our support."

Responding to the First Minister's comments on the prospect of a People's Vote, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said:

"The First Minister's answers in Parliament today exposed that for her this is about fanning the flame of independence, not offering the public the best chance of keeping the whole of the UK in the EU.

Responding to today's vote on the abolition of P1 testing, Scottish Liberal Democrat education spokesperson Tavish Scott MSP said:

"A child could tell you that 63 votes is bigger than 61 but John Swinney's stubbornness has ensured that he has had to find out the hard way.

"As the Presiding Officer has stated, this is now the "will of the parliament"

North East MSP Mike Rumbles has called on the Scottish Government to target crucial investment at areas worst affected by low internet speeds, after a report published by Audit Scotland today confirms that broadband speeds in areas such as Aberdeenshire, Orkney and the Scottish Borders fall far short of the target level of 30mbps.