While Alex Salmond basks in the glow of ex-Labour MSP Andy Kerr's compliments, I wonder if he will spare a thought for Tory MSP Murdo Fraser.
Murdo, the deputy leader of Scotland's tories, got his leadership campaign underway yesterday with his bid to dissolve the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party (SCUP) and create a new party built on "new unionism". About 80 Tories attended the launch but the party's biggest single backer in Scotland, Sir Jack Harvie the transport tycoon, wasn't impressed in the slightest and has thrown his weight behind newly elected MSP Ruth Davidson. Although Murdo is currently in the lead the odds have reduced today.
I think he's on the right track if the words Scottish Conservatives are not to be buried without ceremony but, try as I may I can't find anything of substance in Murdo's proposals other than a name change and that's a shame because I thought he had his finger on the pulse of disillusioned members.
The other contender, Jackson Carlaw, considers the proposal is 'dividing the party rather than uniting it.' What he doesn't realise is that the party has been divided for years and requires a complete restructure. Of course such rebuilds take time and it may be some years before former Tory voters, who now vote SNP, trust their natural party enough to support it.
If a complete restructure is rejected by the Tories then they will die a slow death here. If a rebuild is approved it will be some years before the Tories just may be able to become a major player.
Who will win the poisoned chalice?
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12 comments:
I agree.
I was disappointed last night with his performance on Newsnicht.
Change of name... but what to? Policies... none that were discernibly different from the current party's?
Without doubt the party needs to change. They are considered English, with orders coming from Cameron. They are tied to policies that help the shires of England, and more or less ignore Scotland. And they are associated with Mrs Thatcher. And that is why over the past 15 years there has been either none or one member of parliament from Scotland.
Ruth Davidson and Jackson Carlaw also completely failed to impress as did the members that were invited to talk in the studio.
I still say good luck to Murdo. But he must realise that we are not thick in Scotland, as Cameron seems to think. We know that a cucumber is still a cucumber even if it is called a concombre.
In the election of 1997 the Conservatives in Scotland were delivered a mortal blow. The prognosis was terminal, there was to be no recovery.
They have managed to hang on, that is until now, for in Murdo Fraser’s proposals and the current party in-fighting we see no more than the death throes of the Conservatives in Scotland.
Mr Fraser proposes…
breaking away from the Conservatives at Westminster, but still taking the Conservative whip;
of rebranding the Scottish party, but still taking the Conservative whip;
of being a new right of centre party, but still taking the Conservative whip.
In essence he is offering us nothing new, but then neither is his main rival Ruth Davidson who only offers us yet more of what has gone before.
No mater what they do or what the may call their new party, surely the Conservatives must realise that if you look like an anatidae, waddle like an anatidae, and quack like an anatidae – then it goes without saying that an anatidae… is a duck … is a duck … is a duck.
And I hate to be the one to break the news to the Conservatives – as of first September – ducks are in season! RIP.
It's the first time in my life I agree with a Torygraph editorial & Michael Forsyth.
They say this is suicide for a unionist party because when you separate the political entity of the Tory Party between England & Scotland you are confirming that a separate political culture exists.
Which of course it does.
So I can only encourage Mr Fraser in his efforts & look forward a great deal to the knock on effect on the Labour Party if he proves to be successful.
If the Labour Party decide to get all Scottish too then the electorate will start to question why the hell should be bother with Westminster when we have separate parties here.
G'on yersel Murdo!
Who will win indeed?
But it is surprisingly exciting!
Tris that's all I could find.
JRb I appreciate your detailed comment. I could find nothing more.
Duck. I prefer goose as a Christmas feast.
If the present unionists in the name of Carlaw and Ruth Davidison win they the tories are dead here GH.
One has to be bemused at a contest to be the leader of the losers. *shrug*
Youse lot are so 'last year'.
We the people have seen through 'Political Parties'.
They are all communards working for the bankers. They have NO power over human beings.
Observer what an honest comment and I agree with you on every detail.
How the unionists will substantiate staying in the union should be a revelation.
Many are bemused Jeanne. :)
Oh dear HC, I'll have to go on a course to update myself don't you think? Can't be accused of being old-fashioned. That would never do.
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