SCOTTISH LibDem leader Willie Rennie is to claim his party can stop the SNP winning the overall majority it needs to push for a second independence referendum.
The Lib Dems are currently the smallest of the five political parties in the Scottish Parliament, with five MSPs.
Polls have consistently shown that the SNP could be on track to win an overall majority, but Rennie will claim that by increasing the number of LibDem MSPs, his party could “make the difference between a government that can do whatever it wants, however damaging, and a government that has to listen”.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon's SNP still on track to win majority in Holyrood election
The latest poll on Holyrood election voting intentions put the LibDems on track to gain one seat in May.
At the party's spring conference today, Rennie will insist neither the Tories nor Labour – both of whom have new leaders in Scotland since the last election – will be able to make the difference between an SNP majority and minority government.
He will tell party members: “The Liberal Democrats can make the difference at the next election.
“We can make gains in every region. We can win new seats.
“The Conservatives can’t. They have replaced Ruth Davidson, who was popular, with Boris Johnson’s choice of leader – who is not. Their tide is running away. They are set to lose seats. Every poll says so.”
2016 election results
Speaking about the new Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, who was only voted into the job a week ago, Rennie will claim he “will take time to find his feet” and as a result, “Labour are unlikely to make the necessary progress on their own”.
Meanwhile the Scottish Greens “will always back the SNP when they need them”, the LibDem will say.
He will tell supporters: “The Liberal Democrats, with our plan to put recovery first, are ready to win more seats.”
READ MORE: Survation independence poll: Half of Scots support Yes vote
Instead of focusing on the constitution, he will pledge LibDem MSPs will work “with others to win in Parliament on education on mental health and on the budget”.
Rennie will declare: “I am ready to lead the Liberal Democrats to the gains that will put recovery first.”
Last week's Survation poll put the SNP on track to gain a slim majority of 67 seats in the upcoming election, an increase of six.
It predicts the Greens will return 11 MSPs from the regional lists, also up six from 2016.
The Tories would secure 21 MSPs, down nine on the last election.
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