By Ruth Davidson
So according to the SNP: ‘It’s started.’ The Nationalists’ Inverness conference was about one thing – preparing their campaign to break up Britain. Instead of focusing on the huge economic challenges facing Scotland, such as our anaemic growth or the 8.1 % unemployment rate, the SNP is interested only in pursuing its separatist obsession.
Since re-election last May, First Minister Alex Salmond has made it clear he will seize every opportunity to foment resentment between Scotland and the United Kingdom.
He has attacked the Supreme Court, demanded a panoply of new powers above and beyond the Scotland Bill, and engaged in hostile sniping at the UK Government whenever the chance has arisen.
He will continue to wield this blunt instrument in an unworthy and arrogant abuse of his position. As Annabel Goldie said last week, ‘Alex Salmond is behaving like some latter
day Pictish chief howling down anyone who is for the United Kingdom as being against Scotland.’
Whether we like it or not, the future of the United Kingdom is going to dominate political discussion – at least until Mr Salmond deigns to hold his much-vaunted referendum.
The Scottish Conservatives have a huge responsibility, to Scotland and the United Kingdom, to make the positive case for the Union and to challenge the independence agenda. To do that effectively, we need to change and renew our party, our message and our methods.
First we need real generational change. By that, I mean a clean break from the past – a fresh face, a new voice and a bright vision that can be shared through the lens of a revitalised and relevant Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party. If the party is still suffering from the hangover of a bygone era, then I offer the cure. I am not being disrespectful of our past leaders – far from it – but if we are to be a modern, forward-looking force again in Scottish politics we simply have to leave the past behind.
We need to rebuild, not destroy, our party to protect and promote the Union. But we also need to reunite our party. Only together will we be able to effectively convince people of the benefits of the Union. These truths may be self-evident to us as Conservatives, but we have to carry the whole of Scotland with us.
Saying ‘yes’ to the Union while the SNP is the party always saying ‘no’ is the key to stopping Alex Salmond frog-marching Scotland towards separation. Promoting the Union and proclaiming the positive partnership between Scotland and the United Kingdom is the way to win this debate.
Simply saying “no” to independence is no longer valid or effective. Let the Nationalists be the party that says “no” and let us give a voice to the great majority of Scots who believe in the Union and want to say “yes”.
For far too long, the Nationalists have been allowed to set the agenda in the on-going constitutional debate. This is because their opponents have been too defensive and have not got on the front foot in support of the Union.
My message to them and to Alex Salmond is that on a straight choice between independence and the Union, the Union wins every time. It’s time we started getting that message over because it’s the message that the vast majority of Scots have been waiting to hear.
We must proclaim loudly and proudly that the Union between England and Scotland has delivered the most peaceful and prosperous times in our two nations’ history. We must proclaim loudly and proudly that Scotland will always be better off as part of the United Kingdom and that the United Kingdom will always be greater than the sum of its parts.
If people think the Union is worth fighting for then they need to get off the fence and starting fighting.
We will win this battle by always making a positive case for the Union. Separation is not progressive, it’s regressive. Proclaiming the partnership is not being anti-Scottish, it is being pro-Scottish.
I am convinced there are hundreds of thousands of equally patriotic Scots who share my view – my vision of a successful Scotland within a strong Union – who instinctively want to vote Scottish Conservative.
Many have been dissuaded from doing so, not because they do not identify with our values and goals, but because they do not think the party has made a strong enough case for the Union.
The decision to make this leadership election for the whole party, and not just the MSPs group in Holyrood, presents a unique opportunity for the Scottish Conservatives to be the principal party that takes the fight to the SNP – and to win.
We can do that, not just by attacking independence, but by proclaiming the partnership and hoisting the case for the Union above and beyond Mr Salmond’s backward, separatist agenda.
In every aspect of life we can make that positive case for the Union, on security and stability, both in economic and military terms, as well as socially, culturally and historically and show it to be a better, more fruitful alternative to separation and divorce every time.
This must be the decade when Scotland moves on from discussing devolution to making devolution work. Once the Scotland Bill becomes law we need to move from discussing political process to tackling real issues. That doesn’t mean there can never be any change in the devolution settlement going forward, but it does mean we should work with the powers we have before evaluating whether more powers are transferred. And
for the same reasons, Mr Salmond should bring forward his referendum now.
I want to use the powers the Scottish Parliament has to make my vision of Scotland a reality. That means supporting families. It means supporting aspiration, and encouraging entrepreneurs. It means ensuring our streets are safe, our schools are the best, and that everyone receives the best healthcare available.
Scotland faces huge challenges over the next decade. It is up to politicians to work on facing these real challenges, not engaging in unnecessary discourse. Scotland deserves better.
As a Conservative, I am an optimist. I believe we can overcome the challenges Scotland faces. But I have absolutely no doubt it will be easier to accomplish as part of a strong United Kingdom.
 Saying ‘yes’ to the Union while the SNP is the party always saying ‘no’ is the key
to stopping Alex Salmond frog-marching Scotland towards separation, Scottish
Conservative leadership contender Ruth Davidson declared today.
‘Promoting the Union and proclaiming the positive partnership between Scotland and
the United Kingdom is how we can win this debate,’ she said.
‘Simply saying “no” to independence is no longer valid or effective. Let the Nationalists
be the party that says “no” and let us give a voice to the great majority of Scots who
believe in the Union and want to say “yes”’.
With less than a week before the ballot closes, Ruth said the next leader of the Scottish
Conservatives would have a duty to be not only a dedicated defender of the Union but
to be also its chief promoter.
She said: ‘For far too long, the Nationalists have been allowed to set the agenda in
the on-going constitutional debate. This is because their opponents have been too
defensive and have not got on the front foot in support of the Union.
‘My message to them and to Alex Salmond is that on a straight choice between
independence and the Union, the Union wins every time. It’s time we started getting
that message over because it’s the message that the vast majority of Scots have been
waiting to hear.
‘We must proclaim loudly and proudly that the Union between England and Scotland
has delivered the most peaceful and prosperous times in our two nations’ history. We
must proclaim loudly and proudly that Scotland will always be better off as part of the
United Kingdom and that the United Kingdom will always be greater than the sum of its
parts.’
Ruth has published a radical five-point plan to restore the party to a dynamic fighting
force, underpinned by much greater engagement with grassroots members at
constituency and association levels.
Today she challenged Mr Salmond to bring forward the much-vaunted independence
referendum and to have the courage to offer a straightforward and unambiguous single
question.
She added: ‘It’s time for us – not just our MSPs but the whole party and every member -
to take the fight directly to separatists and to show them and the whole of Scotland that
ours is the positive case; it is the Nationalists who are negative.’
Ruth criticised those who were equivocal in their support for the Union for fear of being
seen as anti-Scottish.
‘If people think the Union is worth fighting for then they need to get off the fence and
starting fighting,’ she said.
‘We will win this battle by always making a positive case for the Union. Separation is not
progressive, it’s regressive. Proclaiming the partnership is not being anti-Scottish, it is
being pro-Scottish.
‘I am convinced there are hundreds of thousands of equally patriotic Scots who share
my view – my vision of a successful Scotland within a strong Union – who instinctively
want to vote Scottish Conservative.
‘Many have been dissuaded from doing so, not because they do not identify with our
values and goals, but because they do not think the party has made a strong enough
case for the Union.
‘The decision to make this leadership election for the whole party, and not just the MSPs
group in Holyrood, presents a unique opportunity for the Scottish Conservatives to be
the principal party that takes the fight to the SNP – and to win.
‘We can do that, not just by attacking independence, but by proclaiming the partnership
and hoisting the case for the Union above and beyond Mr Salmond’s backward,
separatist agenda.
‘In every aspect of life we can make that positive case for the Union, on security
and stability, both in economic and military terms, as well as socially, culturally and
historically and show it to be a better, more fruitful alternative to separation and
divorce every time.’
She called for this to be the decade when Scotland moves on from discussing devolution
to making devolution work.
‘Once the Scotland Bill becomes law we need to move from discussing political process
to tackling real issues. That doesn’t mean there can never be any change in the
devolution settlement going forward, but it does mean we should work with the powers
we have before evaluating whether more powers are transferred. And for the same
reasons, Mr Salmond should bring forward his referendum now.
‘I want to use the powers the Scottish Parliament has to make my vision of Scotland a
reality. That means supporting families. It means supporting aspiration, and encouraging
entrepreneurs. It means ensuring our streets are safe, our schools are the best, and
that everyone receives the best healthcare available.
‘Scotland faces huge challenges over the next decade. It is up to politicians to work on
facing these real challenges, not engaging in unnecessary discourse. Scotland deserves
better.
‘As a Conservative, I am an optimist. I believe we can overcome the challenges Scotland
faces. But I have absolutely no doubt it will be easier to accomplish as part of a strong
United Kingdom.’
The Scottish Conservatives are the party that must ‘proclaim the partnership’ between Scotland and the United Kingdom, leadership contender Ruth Davidson said today.
‘While Alex Salmond tries to steam-roll us towards separation, we must rise above his negative agenda and give people the good news about the Union and why independence could never match it,’ she said.
Speaking ahead of the last of the televised leadership debates, Ruth said the Scottish Conservatives had a ‘duty as well as an opportunity’ to be the party that ‘stands up for Scotland’ as a vital component of the Union.
‘We must not allow the SNP to tear up that right,’ she said. ‘Scotland is not being served if politicians behave like rabbits caught in the headlights of Salmond’s separatist steam-roller. We must have the courage and conviction to stop him in his tracks by always presenting and promoting the positive case for the Union.
‘Of course, a union that does not adapt and evolve will inevitably become stale, so it is essential that we adjust, refresh and revitalise the partnership. But strong, enduring marriages do not end in divorce; they continue to provide safety, security and mutual benefit and respect. That will always be worth fighting for.’
Ruth said it was clear the political landscape in Scotland had changed dramatically in recent years. The election of a majority Nationalist government at Holyrood could not, and must not, be dismissed.
‘Simply saying “no” to independence is not a valid or effective argument. But neither is failure to promote the benefits of our Union for fear of being dubbed anti-Scottish,’ she said.
‘Separation is not progressive, it’s regressive. Proclaiming the partnership is not being anti-Scottish, it is being pro-Scottish.
‘I am convinced there are hundreds of thousands of equally patriotic Scots who share my view – my vision of a successful Scotland within a strong Union – who instinctively want to vote Scottish Conservative.
‘Many have been dissuaded from doing so, not because they do not identify with our Conservative values and goals, but because they do not think the party has made a strong enough case for the Union, or it is under the yoke of London or that it has not spoken up loudly enough for Scotland.
‘The decision to make this election for the whole party, and not just the MSPs group in Holyrood, presents a unique opportunity for the Scottish Conservatives to be the principal party that takes the fight to the SNP – and to win.
‘We can do that, not just by attacking independence, but by proclaiming the partnership and hoisting the case for the Union above and beyond Mr Salmond’s backward, separatist agenda.
‘We must be the party that says “Yes” to the Union; let the Nationalists be the party that always says “no”.
‘In every aspect of life we can make that positive case for the Union, on security and stability, both in economic and military terms, as well as.socially, culturally and historically and show it to be a better, more fruitful alternative to separation and divorce.
‘We must get on the front foot for the Union – and for Scotland.’
USE YOUR VOTE FOR ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY FOR CHANGE, URGES DAVIDSON
Scottish Conservative leadership contender Ruth Davidson today [sat] made an impassioned plea to party members who have yet to return their ballot papers to vote for the ‘once-in-a-lifetime, generational change’ she promises.
‘This is a unique opportunity for the Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party to halt the decline in our fortunes, to turn things round and to recapture that spirit and determination that we need to be winners again,’ she said.
‘This is arguably the most important election in our party’s history because it will determine whether we cease to exist – or whether we rebuild, revitalise and walk tall once again in Scottish politics and Scottish life.’
Speaking ahead of the party’s West of Scotland conference in Eastwood, Glasgow, Ruth said she knew from her nationwide tour of Scotland’s 59 Westminster constituencies that ‘though the pulse has weakened in recent years, the heart and soul of the party is still very much alive’.
She added: ‘Let’s not kill ourselves off. That would be a huge mistake that we will regret for evermore. This is a time to grasp the kind of change that will really transform our party. I come to you offering that change – once-in-a-lifetime, generational change that will make huge difference.
‘I have absolute faith that it can be done and I am appealing to all those members who have yet to vote to put their faith in me. I will not let you down.’This is the first time that the party’s 8,900 members have a chance to elect a leader for the entire party. Annabel Goldie, whose decision to stand down sparked the election, is the leader of the party’s 15 MSPs at Holyrood but not of the movement as whole.Ruth said: ‘Given the magnitude of the issues at the heart of this election, it is understandable that some members have yet to return their ballot papers. After all, the entire future of the party could rest upon the result. But I appeal to them not to leave things to chance and to use their votes.’I am certain that abolishing the party and trying to start a new one is not the right answer. The sheer practical difficulties of doing that are almost unfathomable. It is not just me and many other Conservatives who say that; wise political academics such as Professor James Mitchell also recognise the dangers involved in going down that blind alley.’I am not afraid to stand up and say I am a Conservative and I truly believe there are many, many people in this country who can be persuaded to also be proud of their Conservative values and principles. Of course, I am not pretending it will be easy, but I know with the kind of generational change that I offer it can be done.’Ruth also today pledged to fight ‘tooth and nail’ to protect and promote Scotland’s place within the United Kingdom.She said now was the time to stand up and be counted as the Nationalist nay-sayers talked down the Union.
‘It makes me angry when Alex Salmond tries to portray anyone who doesn’t agree with his separatist agenda as in some way unpatriotic or less Scottish than him,’ she said.
‘I am proud of being Scottish and proud of the contribution Scotland makes to the United Kingdom – and the benefits that contribution returns.
‘I have watched Scottish soldiers with a Union Flag on their arms patrol the streets of Kosovo to protect people from the horrors of ethnic cleansing. I know that Great Britain is a force for good in this world and the UK would not exist without Scotland in it. When Alex Salmond finally decides to call his referendum, I will go door to door to door to put forward the positive case for our United Kingdom.’
‘I refuse to kowtow to the SNP or to Alex Salmond. I am a proud Scottish Conservative and I am a proud unionist.
‘Alex Salmond may think he can roll back three hundred years of history. I won’t let him. He wants to tear Scotland away from its rightful place at the heart of the United Kingdom. I won’t let him.
‘He wants to bring the United Kingdom to a crashing, crushing, irreversible end. I won’t let him.
‘You don’t negotiate with men like Alex Salmond. You stand up to them and fight. That is what being pro-Scottish is about.’
Scottish Conservative leadership contender Ruth Davidson today pledged to fight ‘tooth and nail’ to protect and promote Scotland’s place within the United Kingdom.
As the SNP conference got underway in Inverness, she said now was the time to stand up and be counted as the Nationalist nay-sayers talked down the Union.
‘It makes me angry when Alex Salmond tries to portray anyone who doesn’t agree with his separatist agenda as in some way unpatriotic or less Scottish than him,’ she said.
‘I am proud of being Scottish and proud of the contribution Scotland makes to the United Kingdom – and the benefits that contribution returns.
‘I have watched Scottish soldiers with a Union Flag on their arms patrol the streets of Kosovo to protect people from the horrors of ethnic cleansing. I know that Great Britain is a force for good in this world and the UK would not exist without Scotland in it. When Alex Salmond finally decides to call his referendum, I will go door to door to door to put forward the positive case for our United Kingdom.’
‘I refuse to cow down to the SNP or to Alex Salmond. I am a proud Scottish Conservative and I am a proud unionist.
‘Alex Salmond may think he can roll back three hundred years of history. I won’t let him. He wants to tear Scotland away from its rightful place at the heart of the United Kingdom. I won’t let him.
‘He wants to bring the United Kingdom to a crashing, crushing, irreversible end. I won’t let him.
‘You don’t negotiate with men like Alex Salmond. You stand up to them and fight. That is what being pro-Scottish is about.’
Scottish Conservative leadership contender Ruth Davidson MSP today [sat] urged the UK Government to increase support for Scotland’s computer games industry.
She has written to the Chancellor George Osborne appealing to him to reconsider the decision to halt proposed 20% tax breaks for the sector.
Speaking ahead of an election hustings in Dundee, which has become a leading centre for the UK computer games industry, the Scottish Conservative’s spokesperson on culture and the cities said the tax incentives were vital to secure jobs and future investment.
She said: ‘Computer gaming is a valuable industry in Scotland and I am rightly proud that we are world-leaders in this sector. Games development employs highly skilled individuals, bringing together mathematicians and physicists with artists and audio engineers.
‘But games development is also an incredibly mobile industry and if we can’t compete with countries such as Canada and France who aggressively court gaming firms with tax incentives then we will find our talent going abroad to be where the work is.’
A campaign led by trade organisation, Tiga, for tax breaks was viewed sympathetically but hit problems due to need to reduce Government spending.
Tiga claims that failure to introduce some tax relief system for the industry could be devastating. According to their research, games tax relief would create and safeguard more than 1,300 new jobs over the next five years and lead to £138 million of new investment in studios.
Since 1997, Dundee and Edinburgh have been the focus of games industry investment of around £1 billion. Dundee alone accounts for 10% of Britain’s digital entertainment industry, with an annual turnover of £100 million.
Earlier this year, Ruth met UK Culture Minister Ed Vaizey in London to discuss ways of supporting the industry. In 2009 while working as a radio journalist, she made a ground-breaking BBC documentary entitled ‘The Game Drain’ which highlighted the case for industry-specific tax relief would stop talented programmers and high-end companies from relocating abroad rather than setting up in Scotland.
KPMG Scotland has estimated that a 20% tax break could create 3,000 jobs and encourage £457million of investment.
Ruth added: ‘Games development employs highly skilled individuals, bringing together mathematicians and physicists with artists and audio engineers.
‘I want our young people to be inspired to learn and gain qualifications because they see a real opportunity to have a career doing something they love, not to feel that there is no hope of getting on in the industry without moving to another country. That is why I am asking the Government to think again and to invest in the future of this important and creative industry.’
Scottish Conservative leadership contender Ruth Davidson today pledged to be ‘a champion for the Highlands and Islands’.
As part of her tour of all Scotland’s 59 Westminster constituencies, Ruth visited members and party activists in Dornoch, Dingwall and Inverness, having earlier been to Shetland and Orkney.
She said: ‘Too often politicians meeting in Holyrood tend to pay less attention to the Highlands and the islands than they should. But I am fully committed to engaging with party members in every part of the country, no matter how far they are geographically from Edinburgh.’
Ruth, who is the bookies’ favourite to win the leadership race which finishes on Nov 4, has put forward a radical five-point plan designed to make the Scottish & Conservative & Unionist Party a winning force again in Scotland.
She said she was determined to offer a more inclusive style of leadership, drawing on the experience and expertise of grassroots members across the whole of Scotland.
‘What my tour of the country so far has underlined is that there is a wealth of talent within the party that is not currently being tapped and used to full advantage,’ she said. ‘This is especially true in places such as the Highlands and our island communities and I am determined not to let this valuable asset go to waste.
‘Our members are the lifeblood of our party. That is why, if I am elected leader, I will direct a national membership campaign. We need to build up supporters and activists across the whole country, not just in certain areas. And I will also involve members from all parts of the country in our policy-making.’
While in Orkney and Shetland, Ruth proclaimed the importance of proper investment in ferry links to the isles.
The former BBC journalist said she believed firmly in the necessity for good infrastructure in rural areas, particularly ferries which were the direct equivalent of the M8 in the central belt, and government had a responsibility to ensure there was sufficient investment in these services.
She added: ‘This is important because young people should not feel they have to go to cities to work. It is vitally important that we support all areas of Scotland.”
Ruth told members she did not accept the Conservative & Unionist Party was beyond repair as her rival Murdo Fraser claims. She said David Cameron had shown what could be done to improve the party’s appeal in England and as the new Scottish leader she could do the same.
Scotland’s only Conservative MP since 2005, David Mundell, was also in the isles this week lending his support to Ruth’s campaign. He said she was a ‘bright, energetic young woman’ who offered a ‘generational change’ for the party north of the border.
Mr Mundell said: ‘There are local needs in distinct local parts of Scotland and Ruth very much promotes what’s called a ‘localism agenda’ rather than uniform policies based on what’s happening in Glasgow or Edinburgh.
‘We’ve seen a lot of that, particularly on things like the health service and education. Policies have been determined based on how they would operate in cities and are totally inappropriate to rural areas.’
Leadership contender Ruth Davidson has the ability to transform the Scottish Conservatives in the same way that David Cameron revived the UK party and led it back to government, Lord Forsyth of Drumlean says today. [wed]
In an interview with The Times, the former Scottish Secretary says that of the four candidates standing for election, Ruth has the best chance of reinvigorating the party.
He says David Cameron had only been in parliament for four years when he decided to introduce new people and new policies ‘that were a bit surprising for some people in the party, but it worked’.
Lord Forsyth reveals he questioned Ruth for more than three hours before deciding to give her his personal backing.
He tells The Times: ‘She’s got the balls in the same way that Margaret Thatcher showed when she stood against Ted Heath. For a new MSP to say she thinks she knows what needs to be done shows real guts and courage and it’s not terribly good for people to moan and snipe and say, “Who does she think she is?”’
In a further interview in today’s Scotsman, Lord Forsyth attacks Murdo Fraser’s proposal to dissolve the party as a ‘ludicrous and superficial’ analysis of the problems its faces in Scotland.
Comparing Ruth to Lady Thatcher, Lord Forsyth says: ‘She (Ruth) is a very different person in many ways, but she got that same down-to-earth approach. She is the only candidate who is going to visit every constituency.’
He says this shows that Ruth understands that ’you build an organisations from the bottom up’.
He tells The Scotsman: ‘The reason I’m supporting her is the reason people are criticising her. They say she is young and inexperienced. I see this is a chance to see a completely fresh approach, no baggage, no past scores to settle. To get into the parliament and stand for leader does require a certain amount of self-confidence and courage.’
Lord Forsyth is among a number of senior Conservatives who are supporting Ruth for the leadership. They include Lord Strathclyde, Leader of the House of Lords; Lord Sanderson, Lord Lothian (Michael Ancram) former Deputy Leader of the UK Conservative Party, MSPs John Scott and John Lamont; Scotland’s only Conservative MP David Mundell, former Deputy Presiding Officer at Holyrood Murray Tosh and former MP Sir Albert McQuarrie.
Leading commentator Allan Massie has today [wed] endorsed Ruth Davidson as the best candidate in the Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party leadership contest.
In a major article in The Scotsman, he says Ruth’s vision of rebuilding the party through hard endeavour, coupled with vigorous campaigning on issues of local importance, is the only viable option for the Scottish Conservatives.
Mr Massie, one of Scotland’s most prolific and highly-respected political commentators, who has been described as having ‘one of the best brains in Britain’, says Ruth ‘seems to understand what is needed if the party is ever to revive’.
He adds: ‘This is not a change of name. It is not even setting out to be more assertively Scottish. The time for the party to take that line was 20 years ago.
‘If the Scottish Tory party is to have a future it requires to rebuild its organisation at constituency level. It must start winning more council seats before it can realistically hope to win parliamentary ones. It has to have active agents in every constituency – agents who learn about the electorate and know where potential votes are to be found. It has to campaign vigorously on issues of local importance.
‘Ms Davidson believes that what the Scottish Tories require is not a cosmetic facelift and rebranding, but hard work at constituency and local government level. This is why she deserves to win.
If she does, her effort to revive the party from the ground up may still fail. But it’s the only hope for the Tories. For too long they believed themselves entitled to the support of voters – just as Scottish Labour still believes itself entitled to such support.
Ms Davidson evidently realises that support once lost is hard to regain, and must be earned by hard work. So what remains of the Tory faithful should give her a chance.’
To read Allan Massie’s full article in The Scotsman click this link: http://www.scotsman.com/news/cartoon/allan_massie_forget_rebranding_scots_tories_need_hard_work_1_1904115
Scottish Conservative leadership contender Ruth Davidson today appealed to party members to summon their ‘true spirit’ and vote for ‘positive change, not self-destruction’.
Her appeal for unity came as the first exit poll undertaken on the same basis as the November 4 election made her a clear winner over nearest rival Murdo Fraser, who wants to dissolve the party.
The poll, conducted by the ToryHoose website after a leadership hustings in Edinburgh at the weekend, gave Ruth a 13% lead over Murdo after the two other candidates, Jackson Carlaw and Margaret Mitchell, had been eliminated under the single transferable vote system.
Ruth led in each of three rounds of voting in a poll that also showed members rejected Murdo’s proposal to disband the party by two to one.
On the eve of election ballot papers being sent out to the party’s 8,900 members, Ruth said now was the time to rebuild and reinvigorate and go forward with a new face, new voice and new sense of purpose.
‘As Michael Ancram, one of our most experienced and well-respected members has said, this is a golden opportunity to transform the Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party and to become a winner again both in and for Scotland,’ said Ruth.
Speaking ahead of tonight’s [mon] Glasgow hustings, Ruth made a passionate plea for members to give her the mandate to ‘protect not only the party’s heritage, but even more importantly, to secure its future’.
She said: ‘We are standing now at a critical moment in Scottish Conservative history. If we make the wrong move and the wrong choice, we will be gambling not only with the future of our party but its very existence.
‘But this is not a time to gamble. It is a time to be strong, confident and certain that with the radical change that I alone in this election represent, the Scottish Conservatives can once again be a winning force.
‘I say this not only for the sake of our party, but for the sake of Scotland and its place in the United Kingdom.
‘There is no doubt that our party has to change. But the principles and values that Scottish Conservatives have always cherished will never be replaced. We need the kind of radical, generational change that I alone offer to give us back the confidence and spirit we need to make us winners.
As part of her proposals for radical reform, Ruth issued a five-point plan which she said would ‘revolutionise’ the party and turn it into formidable fighting force comprising all levels of membership.
She said: ‘Everything we do must be about changing the lives of Scots for the better. To turn our vision and ideas into reality, we must have a seat at the table. And we must start winning again.
‘I have the ideas, vision and belief to make this the decade when the Scottish Conservatives win again. ‘
Ruth, who is also the bookmakers’ favourite to win the contest, said she was greatly inspired by the support she had received from a range of senior party figures as well as thousands of grassroots activists and members as she travelled around the country on her nationwide tour.
‘As the campaign moves into this crucial stage, I would respectfully ask all party members to think very carefully about what is at stake,’ she said.
‘Do you want to see the party you love and have worked so hard for disbanded and cast aside, or do you share my belief that with the right kind of change – the generational change that only I can bring – we can renew and reinvigorate and be a winning force again in Scottish politics and Scottish life?
‘I believe I can provide the new face and the new voice that the party needs to get us back to winning ways, not just for ourselves but for Scotland too.
‘We need that strong voice and that strong personality for what is the real battle – the fight to stop Alex Salmond and his separatists from destroying the Union.
‘We can’t do that if we destroy ourselves first, but we can if we stick together, grow stronger and make our voice heard loudly.’
Ruth has been publicly endorsed by the Leader of the House of Lords, Lord Strathclyde, former deputy chairman of the UK Conservative Party Michael Ancram, former Scottish Secretary Lord Forsyth, Lord Sanderson of Bowden, MP David Mundell, MSPs John Lamont and John Scott, former Holyrood Deputy Presiding Officer Murray Tosh and ormer MP Sir Albert McQuarrie.
Notes
1] This is a summary of Ruth Davidson five-point plan to transform the Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party
• Sustainable Funding Model
Any real plan to reform the Scottish Conservatives has to be based on establishing our party with a sustainable funding model. For too long we have relied on a few very generous donors. I will build a funding network at every level. We will have a nationally co-ordinated strategy to ensure major donors are brought on board. But I want to devolve locally as well. I will ensure regional funding directors provide clear direction to ensuring fundraising occurs across the whole of their region. And they will be able to help local associations to raise their own money as well. For too long local associations have been reliant on membership subscriptions and central support – I want to help them become self-sufficient to allow us to fight elections across the whole country.
• Mass Membership Party
Our members are the lifeblood of our party. But they are too few, and in many cases not able to actively contribute as they used to. I will change this. As leader I will direct a national membership campaign. We need to build up supporters and activists across the whole country. That means working with associations. It means ensuring members get more for their subscriptions. I will involve members in policy-making. I want associations to run more local events. I will ensure the party publishes a membership magazine, to encourage a flow of information and ideas between the grassroots and the central party. And we need to get more young people involved with the party, and as a fresh new face I am the person to attract them to join the party. But more than that I will ensure Conservative Future Scotland receives the money and resources to be a professional organisation. I will ensure young members receive support and training in return for the great work they do campaigning.
• Scottish Conservative & Unionist Message
I will reform our policy-making to use the experience and expertise we have in our ranks that we don’t use, re-establishing our policy committee, and inviting others in to join the debate. I want to involve all our members in policy. That doesn’t mean a one-day event before an election but a system which brings together the talents of our party. As part of a full policy review I will establish commissions on business and for agriculture and fishing. These are natural Conservative areas where people no longer believe we stand up for them. These commissions will involve people from inside and outside the party. I want to make our Conference a real membership event where debate and discussion are as important as set-piece speeches. I will encourage a genuine dialogue between the grassroots, elected representatives and the central party leadership.
• Modern, Professional and Integrated Campaigning Structure
We will use modern efficient campaigning techniques to ensure our message is heard across Scotland. I will integrate our campaigning to ensure Central Office, the Regional Offices and the local Associations are all trained, equipped and involved in electioneering. But let me be clear, local members know their areas best. I want to devolve responsibility to those who are best able to decide. I will ensure every constituency has access to activists who are trained in modern campaigning, communications and fundraising skills. I want to use the internet more effectively. Online campaigning allows us to reach people who are less and less available by traditional means. Lots of young people these days don’t have a landline telephone, and move regularly – but they keep the same email and mobile number. That means using email, Twitter and Facebook to promote our party and our brand.
• Party for Scotland
I will make sure the Scottish Conservatives are a party for all of Scotland. As a candidate I will visit all 59 Westminster constituencies – and I want to be a leader who represents them all. That means no ‘no go areas’ for the Scottish Conservatives. It means no more paper candidates. I will campaign publicly to bring the best possible candidates into the Scottish Conservative Party – just as David Cameron has done. And I will ensure every candidate received the training they need, the input they deserve, and the professional staff required to allow us to compete in every seat. I will make sure I am personally accessible to members across the country as well. I will attend Regional Council meetings to ensure I regularly meet face-to-face with Association Chairman and key members.
2.) ToryHoose conducted an exclusive exit poll following Saturday’s Scottish Conservative leadership hustings at Meadowbank in Edinburgh. The results showed that Ruth Davidson had a slight lead in first preferences. The poll was undertaken on the same basis to the actual leadership election. The Single Transferrable Vote system is due to be used and respondents to the poll were asked to rank candidates 1-4 on who they wanted as the next leader of the party after their hustings performances. The final analysis, following eliminations of Jackson Carlaw and Margaret Mitchell gave Ruth Davidson a lead over Murdo Fraser of 9 votes (a 13% lead).
Full results:
66 party members responded to the poll. The results were as follows:
First Preferences
Jackson Carlaw: 12, Ruth Davidson: 24, Murdo Fraser: 22, Margaret Mitchell: 8
After the first round Margaret Mitchell was eliminated and her votes re-tabulated as follows: Jackson Carlaw: 3 (15), Ruth Davidson: 3 (27), Murdo Fraser: 2 (24).
After the second round Jackson Carlaw was eliminated and his votes re-tabulated as follows: Ruth Davidson: 10 (37), Murdo Fraser: 4 (28)
One vote was unattributable. This gave Ruth Davidson more than half the votes cast. The poll asked: After today’s performance who do you want to win the leadership election?
|
Latest Updates to the site
|
