Scottish Tories must split from UK party to survive

It would, perhaps, be easier and more fun to mock the Scottish Conservatives, but let’s be kind and offer Douglas Ross and his dilapidated party some advice: maybe it’s time to split from the mother-ship, folks?

Don’t get me wrong. I’m almost magnetically drawn to mockery when it comes to Ross and Co. After all, the Scottish Tories have been forced to share their conference venue this weekend with a George Michael tribute act due to low ticket sales.

Rather than pointing and laughing, though, it might be wiser to consider how much better Scottish democracy would be if we had a functioning centre-right party.

Now, as someone on the liberal-left, it may seem strange that I’d offer advice to any Conservative when their party is engaged in a prolonged act of mass self-harm. But I rather like a well-rounded polity, where all shades of opinion are fairly represented.

Evidently, there are many Scots of a conservative disposition who would dearly like an old-fashioned Tory Party to vote for: a party of the likes of Ken Clarke, or even – I say through gritted teeth – Margaret Thatcher.

Back in March 2020, Scottish Tories were polling 27%. In October 2018, it was 28%. In the 2017 General Election, they took nearly 29% to Scottish Labour’s 27%.

So the appetite exists. But clearly palettes have sickened. Latest polls show Scottish Tories polling just 15%, their lowest since Liz Truss was leader.

The endless toxicity of the UK party has put a stink on their Scottish counterparts that fewer and fewer can stomach.

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Lately, we’ve had Rishi Sunak forced to suspend his own deputy chairman Lee Anderson over race-baiting comments.

Liz Truss hung out with the American far-right, cosying up to Steve Bannon and smiling inanely as he described the British extremist Tommy Robinson as a “hero”.

Truss also claimed “trans activists” had infiltrated the civil service, and muttered absurdly about the “deep state”, like some paranoid obsessive.

Meanwhile, Suella Braverman claims “Islamists… are in charge” of Britain.

So which is it? Trans activists or Islamists? Do they take turns puppeteering Britain?

Though, isn’t it the Tory Party that’s been in power since 2010, or am I confused?

Evidently, a hefty chunk of soft Tories in Scotland just can’t tolerate this bilge and are lending votes to Labour, the LibDems or not bothering. Who could blame them?

Back in 2011, Murdo Fraser, not a man often credited with bright ideas, suggested that the Scottish Tories should be scrapped and replaced by a new centre-right party.

The only hope was a split with the UK party, then led by David Cameron. Fraser made the suggestion while running for Scottish party leader.

He was beaten by Cameron’s favourite Ruth Davidson – absurdly once hailed as ‘Scotland’s next FM’.

She’s now comfortably ensconced in the Lords as a baroness, and poor old Murdo still tills the barren fields of Scottish conservatism.

Murdo Fraser made the suggestion of the Scottish Conservatives splitting from the main UK party back when he ran for party leader in 2011 (Image: Newsquest)
But Fraser was right. Scottish conservatism will simply continue to wither as long as it is umbilically tied to the UK party. In fact, it will only be dragged down further.

Guaranteed defeat in the next general election will see the UK Tories in opposition tilt dangerously to the extreme right. That will gut any remaining support for Conservatives in Scotland.

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It’s always hard to break ties with mummy and daddy, but if the Scottish Tories are to ever amount to anything then they need to grow up and go it alone.

Conservatism may hold no appeal for me, but Holyrood needs a sensible, functioning centre-right voice in order to truly reflect Scotland and do our democracy justice.