The SNP will lose the next Scottish Parliament election, the leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats has claimed.

Willie Rennie made the prediction during his address at the UK party conference in Bournemouth.

At the general election earlier this year, the Lib Dems gained three seats in Scotland from the SNP bringing the party's total to four.

Rennie told party members that "thanks to the Liberal Democrats the SNP are on their way out" of power in the country.

Despite the rise in the number of seats won, the party's total share of the Scottish vote fell in June's snap general election.

The Scottish Lib Dem leader said: "After 14 years the SNP will lose next time.

"The big question is what comes next.

"This month marks 20 years since Scotland voted to create the Scottish Parliament.

"It was a parliament that great liberals such as, Malcolm Bruce, Ming Campbell, Ray Michie and David Steel led the charge for.

"The Scottish Parliament has Liberal foundations of which we should be proud."

In response to Rennie's speech, an SNP spokesman said: "Willie Rennie knows a lot about losing - he has led the Lib Dems through year after year of election disasters, and slumped to fifth in the most recent Scottish Parliament election

"His speech was devoid of any vision, stuck in a political rut attacking the SNP instead of concentrating on the Tories and their catastrophic Brexit plans that will do so much damage to Scottish jobs, investment and living standards."