Scottish Conservatives unite on need for more devolution

The Conservatives have kicked off Scotland’s spring party conference season with a gathering energised by the looming independence referendum and by growing unity on the need to devolve more powers to the Scottish parliament.

But despite a pro-union lead in referendum opinion polls, and a relatively well-attended conference in Edinburgh, the Tories still have a long way to go to re-establish themselves as a political force in Scotland.

An Ipsos Mori opinion poll this month found Conservative support among those certain to vote in the next Scottish parliamentary election had risen two points since December. But with the backing of just 17 per cent of voters, the Tories still trail far behind the governing Scottish National party on 38 per cent and Labour on 29.

Delegates at the conference in Edinburgh were also met with physical reminders of the party’s unpopularity north of the border, including a message in the windows of a tenement flat opposite the venue. “Tory scum,” it read. “Back to your castles you spoilt little brats.”

But in an enthusiastic conference speech, Ruth Davidson, the youthful party leader, said the party stood “four-square” with the majority in Scotland in campaigning to stay in the UK. “This land is our land and we will allow no one to break it apart,” she said.

The independence referendum has prompted Ms Davidson to abandon past opposition to the transfer of more powers to the Scottish parliament. A commission she has established to recommend further devolution will report in May.

Polls suggest broad support among Scottish voters for more powers to be transferred to Edinburgh and that this would strengthen support for remaining in the union.

In a speech to the conference on Friday, David Cameron, UK prime minister, said the party was committed to shifting more powers to the Scottish parliament to give it more responsibility for raising the money it spends.

Ms Davidson said yesterday that devolution would be based on “Conservative values” of responsibility and accountability. “We are 100 per cent committed – from the prime minister down – to making sure that, after voting No, we deliver a settlement the people of Scotland want.”

Tory scum. Back to your castles you spoilt little brats

Nationalists say a marked lack of detail about further devolution and differences within and between the pro-union parties mean significant change would be unlikely if Scotland does vote against independence.

Some Tories remain very uncomfortable about strengthening the Scottish parliament, but such sceptics were easily drowned out by devolution supporters at the conference.

Murdo Fraser, a member of the Scottish parliament and former party leadership candidate, said there had been a “complete shift” in the consensus. “The party has almost entirely bought into the concept,” he said.

Richard Crawford, a new Conservative recruit, said he had been doubtful about devolution, but the conference debate had persuaded him it was needed.

“Since the referendum debate started, there’s been an awful lot more interest in politics. It has woken people up a bit,” he said. “If we get independence I just don’t see where this country is going to go.”