Tavish Scott has a big job on his hands as the new leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats.

The profile of his party north of the Border has become subterranean ever since its role as coalition partner to Labour ended at last year's Scottish Parliament election.

On the face of it, Mr Scott has the personality traits that could change that. He is user-friendly, charming to a fault and has many personal friendships among journalists. This year he married one, when he tied the knot with Kirsten Campbell, the BBC Scotland journalist.

But the struggle he faces now will demand more than an easy-going character and a ready wit.

The Lib Dems at Holyrood have slipped out of the day-to-day debate over the past year and find themselves largely ignored by the media when the Nationalists and Labour are firing salvos at each other. It will be Mr Scott's job to change that.

He intends to take his campaigning away from the Parliament and into the country - a laudable aim since too much stress is laid at what happens at First Minister's Questions in the Holyrood bearpit every week.

The Lib Dems are past masters at fighting local campaigns to their electoral benefit and Mr Scott's strategy may just work.

One thing, it appears, will not change. Like Nicol Stephen, his predecessor, he appears to harbour a personal dislike of Alex Salmond, despite appearing yesterday to play the First Minister's game by indicating support for a multi-option referendum.

Holyrood will be watching to see whether that personality clash will scupper co-operation between the parties on other issues, such as local income tax.

Mr Scott came to prominence when he served as a deputy minister in the first Holyrood Executive, but resigned in protest at fishing policy. In the next Holyrood administration he was back in ministerial office, but faced calls for his resignation after appearing to break ranks with executive policy, again over fishing.

He began his political career in 1989 as a research officer for Jim Wallace, the former Lib Dem leader in Scotland and also served for two years as a press officer for his party - possibly explaining his ability to communicate well with journalists.

He then returned to Shetland, his political base, to take over the family farm, and served as a councillor there until 1999, when he was elected to Holyrood.

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