I jumped the gun publishing this poll because on deadline day, last Friday, the list MSP Margaret Mitchell entered the fray. Would her candidacy have made any difference to the poll results? No.
Murdo Fraser, my Tory spies tell me, is doing a sterling job on the campaign trail assuring the grassroots fully understand his plan to abolish the party and establish a new one completely independent of Westminster control. His support for a move toward full fiscal autonomy is being less well received as many traditionalists view any further transfer of power from London to Edinburgh as a betrayal of the Union.
Ruth Davidson's political immaturity has been highlighted by her staffing problems and she, like Jackson Carlaw and Margaret Mitchell, is yet to produce any substantive proposals for the desperately needed overhaul of the party's internal structures. With the exception of Murdo Fraser, all the candidates are far to the right of the Scottish mainstream on the issue of constitutional reform.
The campaign is still young and there is time for someone to see the light and join Murdo in his effort to survive on the political scene in Scotland, yet why do I feel nobody cares?
Rebranding, regrouping, reinventing - call it what you will the Tories, along with the Libdems, will be a fringe party in Scotland for many years to come. The result of the leadership contest in November isn't going to set the heather on fire.
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10 comments:
SR
As you rightly say, it would appear that Mr Fraser plans “to abolish the party and establish a new one completely independent of Westminster.”
Strangely and coincidentally ‘labour’ is also planning to break away and form a distinctly independent Scottish Labour.
Now that both Conservative and Labour parties have recognised that the only way to serve the people of Scotland is for them to be totally independent of Westminster - I trust they will fully support Scottish Independence when a referendum is put before the people.
Who's kidding who over this unionist 'independence' scam? If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck it's a unionist spouting horsefeathers.
Not so much "independent" Tories or Labour - more like Westminster appendage parties?
I was hoping Ruth would win your poll. Her vote was stubbornly stuck at 29 despite my best efforts ;)
I suspect the counter couldn't count above 100.
It's irrelevant who wins the leadership but she is the best to look at and being ex BBC it allows us to watch them squirm every time they have to interview her. I mean 'how could she !' LOL
I consider the 'independence' envisaged by any political party of the Westminster hegemony will only be a back-door tactic.
A re-branding by any other name while the product remains the same.
Subrosa
It really does not matter who leads the Torys or what they will be called. Remember Sellafield or Windscale, different name, still as toxic as the Torys.
New/Scottish/North British Labour still the same, remember Marathon or Snickers, still full of nuts.
Most polite Clarinda and accurate into the bargain. :)
Aye RM, I had a few emails saying folks couldn't vote as it seemed stuck on 100.
Tut tut, you weren't trying to do a 'unionist' were you? (Vote early, vote often).
Auch Crinkly, it gives them something to do with all the donations they receive.
You're right Dubbie, it doesn't matter one bit. It's as unimportant as the Scotland Bill.
JRB, I somehow feel your trust may be misplaced.
Then again, when we gain independence the unionists will all be clawing for a piece of the actions.
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