“I’ll be Speaking to Everybody that I Possibly Can”
Wendy Chamberlain MP on hate crime, housing, and running for re-election
Recent opinion polls predict that Wendy Chamberlain, MP for North East Fife and Deputy Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, will be re-elected to Parliament at the forthcoming General Election. But Chamberlain, the first woman to represent the region, is far from complacent.
Afterall, she recalls it was only in 2017 that the Scottish National Party (SNP) edged out the Liberal Democrats by just two votes, making North East Fife the most marginal seat in the UK.
‘I'll be speaking to everybody that I possibly can,’ Chamberlain said. ‘Everybody’s vote does count.’
Among North East Fife constituents are students at the University of St Andrews who, ahead of the election, are eager to learn how Chamberlain represents their interests in Westminster. In questions submitted to The Saint, students expressed their curiosity on Chamberlain's stance on matters ranging from local issues, such as students’ safety at night, to national topics, like the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. There’s also the issue of St Andrews’ severe housing crisis — which has left some students with no option but to seek accommodation in neighbouring towns.
Since snagging the seat from the SNP in 2019, in what was the party's sole loss at the General Election, Chamberlain has worked extensively to improve health and social care policies. Just two weeks ago, she introduced The Carer’s Leave Bill which will give an estimated 2.4 million carers across the UK a statutory right to take five days of unpaid leave per year, helping carers to better balance work and care.
But Chamberlain considers her casework the most fulfilling — whether it be helping constituents with energy bills or assisting with benefits cases. In St Andrews, Chamberlain’s casework has involved ensuring Ukrainian students are able to complete their studies without disruption despite the temporary nature of the UK Government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme.
“You make a tangible difference to somebody's life,” she said. “It sounds a bit cheesy, but it's absolutely true.”
Beyond immigration cases, the diverse international makeup and interests of the St Andrews community often influence other matters brought to Chamberlain’s attention. Recently, she facilitated an agreement between American developers Nexus Luxury Collection — who plan to convert the town’s historic New Picture House Cinema into a luxury sports bar — and Film Studies students campaigning to preserve the establishment.
But juggling the interests of town residents, students, and tourists, Chamberlain cautions, is by no means an easy feat. “St Andrews has that balance to strike between the long term residents of the town, the students who come to make it their home there for a period of time, and also those who come for tourism and holiday,” she said. “[It] has been very challenging. I'm not convinced that at any level, we've got it quite right.”
Last month, Fife Council declared a housing emergency, yet the news came as no surprise to students in St Andrews, where the demand for housing has for years outsized supply. The abundance of holiday and second homes in the seaside town is a key factor in the issue.
The Liberal Democrats have worked on national legislation aimed at regulating second homes and holiday lets, however, Chamberlain said it is not in her power to directly address the St Andrews housing crisis. And though she supports the Campaign for Affordable Student Housing at St Andrews University (or CASH), Chamberlain argues it is the university's responsibility to provide students with sufficient and affordable housing.
“Clearly, I think there is a responsibility for the university to ensure that it's providing the right amount of accommodation,” said Chamberlain.
Since taking office, Chamberlain has shown support for student calls to fight spiking within St Andrews. This cause holds personal significance for her, stemming from her own experiences as a female student and her background working with victims during her decade-long tenure as a police officer prior to her career in politics.
“It's something that I feel very strongly about,” she said. “Rather than women feeling that they need to take the steps to keep themselves safe, they shouldn’t be in that position in the first place.”
But she admits that there is a lot more to do. Chamberlain is in favour of an adjustment to the criminal justice bill, which will ensure that spiking is properly defined. She also advocates for better education on what spiking is.
To further protect women, Chamberlain expressed support for the introduction of a misogyny law by the Scottish Government. The initiative, recently announced by ministers, aims to address criminal behaviour fueled by misogyny — a first of its kind globally.
Plans for the bill follow the recent passing of the hate crime law in Scotland, a point of contention that left the SNP with over 3000 complaints within the law’s first 48 hours over concerns about freedom of speech and potential confusion for law enforcement. Despite the backlash, with JK Rowling and Elon Musk among critics, Chamberlain stands firm in her support for the legislation — which the then five Scottish Liberal Democrats voted in favour of in Scottish Parliament in 2021.
“I think implementation is really important. And I think it's got to be consistently implemented as well. And I know that training for officers to Police Scotland has taken place,” said Chamberlain.
She expressed hope that the legislation will combat the increased levels of Islamophobia and anti-Semitism faced both nationally and locally by students in St Andrews since 7 October, 2023.
“This legislation is intended to help tackle those issues,” she said.
In St Andrews, students have arranged protests and events to raise funds and awareness for those in Gaza. On how she is pushing the Conservatives to address Gazans’ suffering in Westminster, Chamberlain pointed to her support of Layla Moran, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs, who is the first and only MP of Palestinian descent. Chamberlain expressed her full support for Moran, whose family has only recently been brought to safety, and described her as a “very powerful voice in Parliament.”
As the upcoming election looms — most likely to be called late this year — Chamberlain acknowledged the waning support for the Conservatives and the likelihood of a Labour government.
”We are in a situation where the talk is of deposing the fourth Conservative Prime Minister in this session of parliament,” Chamberlain said. “It's quite clear to say the Conservatives are quite unpopular.”
As Keir Starmer prepares to enter No. 10, Chamberlain stresses the need for reliability and uniformity. “The first thing I would want to see is some stability and consistency,” she said.
In Fife, Chamberlain pledges to deliver just that. If re-elected, she will be representing a larger electorate than before, but her commitment remains unchanged. Her manifesto endures: to continue the work she's been doing.
“I want to continue to focus on the issues that people care about,” Chamberlain said. “I find out about those issues by knocking on doors and speaking to people [...] [and] ensuring that people feel that they’re represented and have a voice.”
While some students may have reservations about trusting the Liberal Democrats given the betrayal of increased university tuition fees under the Cameron-Clegg coalition, Chamberlain — who joined the party in 2015 — looks ahead. She insists that the party prioritises issues that students care about, particularly beyond the realm of Scottish independence.
"We were actually complimented at the [University's] Freshers Fayre on how the literature that we had was actually talking about the issues that students cared about, as opposed to the SNP stand saying vote for independence and the Conservatives saying vote against it,” she said. “I think we do and can demonstrate that we care about the issues that the students care about and over to them whether they want to support us or not.”
Contact Wendy Chamberlain: wendy.chamberlain.mp@parliament.uk
Illustration: Ruby Pitman