Rennie nominated for 'Opposition Politician of the Year'

2.46.23pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 14th May 2008

Dunfermline and West Fife MP Willie Rennie has been nominated as a contender for the House of Commons Magazine's Opposition Politician of the Year award along with Lib Dem Deputy Leader and Shadow Chancellor Vince Cable, Conservative Shadow Chancellor George Osbourne and Conservative Education spokesman Michael Gove.

Mr Rennie, who was only elected in 2006, was commended for his frequent presence in the House of Commons on defence issues in particular as well as for being a 'neighbourly thorn in the side of the Prime Minister'. The award was won last year by the Leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, the Reverend Sir Iain Paisley and the year before Conservative MP Dominic Grieve took home the award.

Willie Rennie said:

"It is a huge honour for me to be nominated alongside the likes of Vince Cable, who has performed so admirably over the last 12 months.

"It was a surprise to learn of my entry on the shortlist for the award. In fact it was Vince Cable who informed me of the news during his speech at the Dunfermline Liberal Democrats Annual Dinner on Saturday evening.

"Whether it's challenging the government on delays to the construction of the aircraft carriers, securing a resolution to the difficulties with Visas for the Chernobyl children or campaigning for an improvement in aftercare for victims of miscarriages of justice I have simply being doing my job."