CONTROVERSIAL Scottish LibDem MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton has won the contest to become the party's new leader – as the only candidate standing for the post.
Mr Nasty is replacing Willie Rennie in the role after the former leader stood down following 10 years in the office.
Cole-Hamilton will now lead himself and the Unionist party's other three MSPs at Holyrood.
He campaigned telling party members he would appeal to people “tired of having to choose between extremes” of nationalism.
READ MORE: Alex Cole-Hamilton's five biggest blunders since being elected to Holyrood
The MSP also pledged his commitment to the Union, but insisted it was not similar to the Tories’ brand of Unionism.
"I am an internationalist, I believe in forging unions with our neighbours wherever we can. I will always support our membership of the United Kingdom,” he explained.
"But that doesn’t mean that I have to sign up to the Conservative vision of what that Union should look like."
READ MORE: LibDem Alex Cole-Hamilton heaps praise on 'transcendent' Ruth Davidson
He has since confirmed that he will work with Douglas Ross's Tories – but not Labour – in attempting to build a case for the Union.
Cole-Hamilton has served the Edinburgh Western constituency since 2016, aided at this year’s election by tactical voting from Unionists.
He faced criticism earlier this year over a vile remark made during a meeting of Holyrood’s Equalities and Human Rights Committee.
He was caught mouthing “f*** you” at a female Scottish Government minister.
Then minister for children and young people Maree Todd, who was the target of his abuse, demanded an explanation.
She said: "Those who spotted this at the time at committee thought it was directed at me. Having seen the footage I’m inclined to agree. The swearing is appalling but the face contorted with anger also requires some explanation. Be grateful to hear it.”
Cole-Hamilton responded: "Hands up, I lost my temper here. I was frustrated by your government backsliding on children’s rights once again (as long-grassing UNCRC incorporation would have been). Nevertheless I muttered something under my breath that I shouldn’t have and I apologise."
He was later forced to make a more thorough apology in Parliament – and within a week of the incident told SNP ministers to “reflect on their tone” in Holyrood debates.
The new LibDem leader is also known for being particularly incensed by a gif of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
The gif shows the SNP leader’s overjoyed response to then LibDem leader Jo Swinson losing her seat to rising party star Amy Callaghan at the 2019 General Election.
It was used by the SNP on Twitter to celebrate Scotland’s fantastic performance against England at Wembley during Euro 2020.
In a post which was deleted shortly after, he wrote: "This is, once again, the footage of the FM cheering the defeat of Jo Swinson, but with a Scotland top photoshopped onto her and a Hamden [sic] park background filter. Is it really that hard to capture spontaneous outbursts of joy from someone who is on camera, literally every day?"
Other controversies including falsely claiming that a resident died in a Scottish care home with Covid-19 within a week of being transferred from a nursing home in another part of the country.
The Electoral Commission found the LibDems had wrongly aggregated 10 items of spending worth almost £1950 in Cole-Hamilton’s constituency in a 2018 ruling.
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