For other people named William Rennie, see William Rennie (disambiguation).
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Willie Rennie
MSP
Official portrait, 2016
Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats
In office 17 May 2011 – 20 August 2021
Deputy
Jo Swinson Alistair Carmichael
Leader
Sir Nick Clegg Tim Farron Sir Vince Cable Jo Swinson Sir Ed Davey
Preceded by
Tavish Scott
Succeeded by
Alex Cole-Hamilton
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Scotland
In office 21 August 2019 – 6 January 2020
Serving with Jamie Stone
Leader
Jo Swinson Sir Ed Davey & Brinton/Pack
Preceded by
Christine Jardine
Succeeded by
Wendy Chamberlain
Member of the Scottish Parliament for North East Fife
Incumbent
Assumed office 5 May 2016
Preceded by
Roderick Campbell
Majority
7,448 (18.5%)
Member of the Scottish Parliament for Mid Scotland and Fife
In office 5 May 2011 – 24 March 2016
Preceded by
Ted Brocklebank
Succeeded by
Alexander Stewart
Member of Parliament for Dunfermline and West Fife
In office 9 February 2006 – 12 April 2010
Preceded by
Rachel Squire
Succeeded by
Thomas Docherty
Personal details
Born
William Cowan Rennie
(1967-09-27) 27 September 1967 (age 56) Fife, Scotland
Political party
Scottish Liberal Democrats
Spouse
Janet Rennie (1992–present)
Children
2 sons
Alma mater
Paisley College of Technology City of Glasgow College
William Cowan Rennie (born 27 September 1967) is a Scottish politician who served as the Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats from 2011 to 2021. He has served as the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for North East Fife since 2016, and previously as a list MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife (from 2011 to 2016) and as Member of Parliament (MP) for Dunfermline and West Fife (from 2006 to 2010).
After college, Rennie was a Liberal Democrat election campaigner and official before working as a public relations consultant in the private sector. He became the MP for Dunfermline and West Fife following a by-election win in February 2006. He later lost this seat to the Labour Party at the 2010 general election. He briefly served as a Special Government Adviser for the Liberal Democrat Scottish Secretaries of State Danny Alexander and Michael Moore at the Scotland Office.[1]
He was then elected to the Scottish Parliament in the May 2011 election. He was elected as an additional member for the Mid Scotland and Fife region.[2] He was soon after elected unopposed as leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, replacing Tavish Scott. At the 2016 Scottish Parliament election, Rennie was elected MSP for the constituency seat of North East Fife. Rennie was re-elected in the 2021 Scottish Parliament election, but resigned as Lib Dem leader two months later and was replaced by Alex Cole-Hamilton.
^"David Cameron's PR director Andy Coulson paid £140,000". BBC News. 10 June 2010. Archived from the original on 11 December 2019. Retrieved 10 June 2010.
^Victor Clements (25 September 2010). "Regional List results". Perth and Kinross Liberal Democrats. Archived from the original on 8 July 2011.
profiles of MSPs: WillieRennieWillieRennie MSP 's official website WillieRennie MSP official Liberal Democrats profile WillieRennie MSP official Scottish...
party leader on 7 May, and the resulting leadership election was won by WillieRennie ten days later. At the 2014 European Parliament election, the party...
Scottish Labour led by Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Liberal Democrats led by WillieRennie, and the Scottish Greens, led by their co-leaders Patrick Harvie and...
elections, Chamberlain was asked by Scottish Liberal Democrat leader WillieRennie to consider putting herself forward to stand in the 2017 general election...
released at midnight. 7 Nicola Sturgeon, Jim Murphy, Ruth Davidson and WillieRennie—the leaders of Scotland's four main political parties—take part in an...
Conservatives led by Ruth Davidson, Scottish Liberal Democrats led by WillieRennie, Scottish Greens, led by their co-conveners Patrick Harvie and Maggie...
Rennie is a given name, nickname and surname. Alistair Rennie, Scottish author Allan Rennie (born 1960), Scottish footballer Andy Rennie (Scottish footballer)...
Scotland. Along with the leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, WillieRennie, Swinson was accused of supporting austerity. The student said "People...
leaving him £150,000 out of pocket. Scottish Liberal Democrat leader WillieRennie contributed £750 towards his costs. Carmichael was awarded £50,000 towards...
leadership election was triggered on 12 July 2021 after incumbent leader WillieRennie announced his intention to step down as leader of the Scottish Liberal...
O'Brien James O'Shaughnessy Craig Oliver Stephen Parkinson Richard Reeves WillieRennie Patrick Rock Elizabeth Sanderson Nick Seddon Salma Shah Eleanor Shawcross...
(representing Fife North East) Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) is WillieRennie of the Scottish Liberal Democrats. From 1885 to 1983, Pittenweem was...
Jo Swinson Leader Nick Clegg Preceded by Nicol Stephen Succeeded by WillieRennie Minister for Transport and Telecommunications In office 23 June 2005 –...
O'Brien James O'Shaughnessy Craig Oliver Stephen Parkinson Richard Reeves WillieRennie Patrick Rock Elizabeth Sanderson Nick Seddon Salma Shah Eleanor Shawcross...
O'Brien James O'Shaughnessy Craig Oliver Stephen Parkinson Richard Reeves WillieRennie Patrick Rock Elizabeth Sanderson Nick Seddon Salma Shah Eleanor Shawcross...
Conservative leader Douglas Ross and Scottish Liberal Democrat leader WillieRennie by 64 votes to 31 and 4 respectively. This win resulted in Sturgeon...
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