Annabel Goldie: My message to Scotland …

Published on Monday 17 January 2011 17:06

Scotland is changing. And you the people of Scotland have made it repeatedly clear to us, the Scottish Conservatives, that we need to change too.

We have heard you loud and clear. So that is what we are offering at this election - a changed Conservative Party for a changing Scotland.

Because of the scale of the economic and social challenge it is time for plain speaking. I know many of you still think of us as the party of Mrs Thatcher and the poll tax and of what you believed was an uncaring, even anti-Scottish attitude.

But we know we will never succeed until we bridge that gap between "us" the Conservatives and "you" the people of Scotland. In this manifesto, we show our commitment to change and how Scotland's values are reflected in our values - fairness but reward for hard work; enterprise but compassion; help for those who need it but encouragement for individual endeavour; a strong community but a caring state.

And at the core of both our party and our country is the value of responsibility. I believe it is our job to help as many Scots as possible to take responsibility for their own lives. Nobody wants to live on hand-outs. This means empowering individuals to take responsibility not just for themselves and their families but to enable all of us to make a contribution to our community and society.

And this idea of responsibility cannot stop with the individual. Our parliament must have responsibility too. That is why at this election the Scottish Conservatives are offering the biggest programme of constitutional change in our history.

It is clearly no longer acceptable for the Scottish Parliament to be responsible for spending your tax money but not for raising it. Responsibility does not sit easily with passing decision-making on to others. Indeed the two notions seem incompatible. So it is time for full tax powers to be transferred from Westminster politicians to Scotland - over and above the proposals from the Calman Commission.

• Power to the people . . . local authorities and Holyrood

This could mean those who work hard for themselves and their families will be able to keep more of their own money rather than hand so much of it over to the state. As Conservatives we believe this, in turn, will encourage enterprise and boost job creation. And job creation is the most important issue at this election because it is through more and better jobs that we can improve living standards.

This will, of course, mean a changing union, but political arrangements across the world are changing. We believe in a new and better relationship with our friends south of the Border.

One more thing. Let's be honest: you know, and I know, that we are not going to form the government in Scotland after this election. To be frank, given our past mistakes we don't deserve to. We have a way to go to earn your trust. But our influence could be crucial. A changed Scottish Conservative party for a changing Scotland. It's time we worked together.