Mike Rumbles

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Mike Rumbles (born 10 June 1956) is a Scottish Liberal Democrat politician, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine.

Rumbles was elected to the West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine constituency in the 1999 election, and increased his majority in the 2003 election. Following the Scottish Parliament's establishment in 1999, Rumbles made his name as convenor of the Standards Committee when it was charged with investigating the so-called 'Lobbygate' scandal, in which the son of the then Secretary of State for Scotland John Reid was embroiled.

On May 12, 2005, Rumbles announced his intention to stand for the vacant post of leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats. His candidacy involved a distinct platform from his opponent Nicol Stephen. In particular, he specified a number of deal-breakers for any coalition negotiations that might occur in the aftermath of the 2007 Scottish Parliament elections, with an absolute insistence on the implementation of key Liberal Democrat policies such as abolition of the council tax, and an enhancement of the Scottish Parliament's powers. He also aimed to give the Liberal Democrats a more equal status within the coalition. He lost to Stephen in June 2005.