Scots Tories are braced for a fundamental inquiry into why their general election performance was so bad The review is likely to recommend greater autonomy from London.
The Scottish Conservatives are braced for a fundamental inquiry into why it performed so badly in the General Election.
In last month’s election, the Conservatives north of the border won just one seat, first gained in 2005. The result came despite William Hague predicting a breakthrough for the party in early April.
The review, expected to be announced later in the week by the party’s Scottish Chairman, Andrew Fulton, looks set to address concerns about the party’s organisation and leadership north of the border, with questions hanging over the party’s leader at Holyrood, Annabel Goldie.
According to the News of the World , the inquest will be led by the Conservative supporting QC Paul McBride. An editorial in The Herald has said of the proposal:
“It is long overdue. Indeed, it may be a last roll of the dice. If Conservativism is to have a lively future in Scotland rather than wither into a forgotten fringe pursuit, the review will need to come up with the right answers. To be credible, it must consider far greater autonomy for the Scottish party, with freedom to criticise the leadership in London if it is seen to be acting against Scottish interests.”
It is on the issue of greater autonomy that the review is likely to focus. The growing support for such measures from Conservative grandees and grassroots activists is a clear indication that the Tory brand remains toxic in Scotland. Speaking recently to the BBC’s Politics Show, the last Conservative Scottish Secretary, Lord Forsyth bluntly concluded;
“It’s no good deciding, ‘oh we’ll have a great campaign for three weeks for a general election’.
“You’ve got to do this day-in-day-out and the Conservatives have got to be seen to be involved in the day-to-day issues in Scotland, and I’m sorry to say I think for a long time the Conservatives have been a bit marginal.”
The influential Conservative Blogger, Tim Montgomerie has clearly come out to support the principal of “a separate Scottish party, able to develop distinctive policies for Scotland.” Also supporting the principle of greater autonomy, Richard Cook – who stood in East Renfrewshire and is now a candidate for the post of Deputy Chairman of the Scottish Conservatives – has written in the Scotsman:
“People look at us and still see the party they rejected in 1997 and can see insufficient difference between us and the UK party in terms of uniquely Scottish policy, despite what we might think.
“Let’s be clear – we lost because of the party, not our leadership. I lost because people believe the brand remains toxic, not because Cameron visited East Renfrewshire, where the electorate like and admire him greatly.”
And Lord Tebbit has previously made his views crystal clear:
“What Scotland needs is a Right of centre Scottish Unionist Party, and for my party to pack up north of the border.”
Meanwhile, in the wake of David Law’s resignation and Danny Alexander’s promotion as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, the Lib Dem MP for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk, Michael Moore has been appointed as the new Scottish Secretary. Commenting on his appointment, Mr Moore said:
“As secretary of state I want to hear the concerns of Scots across the country and I look forward to getting on with the job.”
Not everyone was so pleased. Labour’s MP for Glasgow North, Willie Bain reacted:
“Scotland shouldn’t settle for the Tories’ second choice of Lib Dem as Secretary of State.
“Michael Moore is the Tories’ Scottish salesman and now a Scottish Lib Dem MP is at the Treasury presiding over massive cuts to Scottish families and businesses.”
Top of the new Secretary of State’s inbox will be a need to persuade the SNP of the merits of the Scottish Parliament having greater tax varying powers as part of the wider package of reforms within the Scotland Bill granting increased powers to Holyrood.
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5 Responses to “Scots Tories seek to distance themselves from Cameron”
Bham Labour Students
RT @leftfootfwd: Scots Tories seek to distance themselves from Cameron http://bit.ly/a2Kwaj
David Morton
There are Scots Tories! I thought them extinct. RT @leftfootfwd: Scots Tories seek to distance themselves from Cameron http://bit.ly/a2Kwaj
Bham Labour Students
RT @leftfootfwd: Scots Tories seek to distance themselves from Cameron http://bit.ly/a2Kwaj
Scots Tories seek to distance themselves from Cameron « The best Labour blogs
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loveandgarbage
@peatworrier – Look, Paul – an advocate – is going to explain why the Scottish Tories did so badly http://bit.ly/9AfQOK