Former South Australian Liberal leader David Speirs attends cousin’s Scottish wedding

Former Liberal leader David Speirs has fired back at his critics as he attends his cousin’s wedding in Scotland.

A kilt-clad former Liberal leader David Speirs has declared “family always comes first” when posting pictures of the Scottish family wedding which controversially triggered his downfall.

In a series of images posted to social media, Mr Speirs congratulates his relatives “Mr and Mrs Baxter” and poses with the bride and groom.

In another, the Scottish-born Mr Speirs, who emigrated to Australia aged 17, poses with his “wee cousin Jack”.

In a pointed remark at critics who attacked him for missing parliamentary sitting days to attend two Scottish weddings, Mr Speirs captioned a picture of him with a bridesmaid: “Family always comes first!”.

David Speirs at his cousin’s wedding in Scotland. Picture: Instagram

David Speirs with his “wee cousin” at a Scottish wedding. Picture: Instagram

The Instagram posts are the latest in a flurry from Mr Speirs since he quit the Liberal leadership on June 8, since when he arguably has been more active publicly despite being overseas for an unknown period.

Internal tension about Mr Speirs’ leadership erupted in late July, when The Advertiser revealed Mr Speirs had been forced to cancel holiday plans to attend an overseas family wedding after a backlash over claims he may have missed parliamentary sitting days.

Parliament resumed from a midwinter break on Tuesday, and Mr Speirs was absent for all three sitting days this week.

David Speirs with the bride and groom, Mr and Mrs Baxter Picture: Instagram

This followed Mr Speirs missing the June 6 state budget for another family wedding in Scotland, when the-then Opposition Leader fired back at Labor criticism in parliament by angrily declaring: “ “I’ve got a family too” and “you’re gross”.

Mr Speirs succumbed to mounting criticism of his leadership on August 8, when he quit the top state Liberal job, insisting he’d “had a gutful” of being undermined and lacked the energy to fight on.

The next day, Mr Speirs confirmed he would head to his cousin’s wedding in Scotland, claiming he had booked tickets with his travel agent the day before.

“I’m going to go to my cousin’s wedding, I’m going to head to Scotland at the end of next week, because I was criticised for not going so you know, to hell with that,” he said on FIVEAA radio.

In the same interview, Mr Speirs also made the bombshell claim it would be “difficult to remain in the Liberal Party” if the “two or three” people who undermined his leadership were rewarded in any new regime.

Vincent Tarzia was installed as Opposition Leader on August 12 and has been subjected to a barrage of daily anonymous emails circulated to journalists in a bid to undermine him.

The Advertiser is not suggesting the emails are from Mr Speirs, or anyone connected to him.