David Maddox: Westminster parties have begun to recruit top names in the political battle for Scotland
Ramsay Jones, pictured with David Cameron. Picture: Ian Rutherford
THE detail of how and when a Scottish independence referendum will take place may yet to be agreed, but already the campaign teams are being put in place by the pro-UK parties.
Symbolic of that was the arrival this week of Ramsay Jones, the veteran Tory spin doctor in Holyrood, as a special advisor for the UK government.
The move, apparently planned for months, will mean that the Tory part of the coalition will at last have a direct Scottish link between the lobby in Westminster, where many journalists for London-based titles are still playing catch up on the issue, and will be able to get their message across as opposed to the Lib Dem side of the coalition which was meant to run Scotland.
The Lib Dems have had their troops in place for a little longer, Euan Roddin at the Scotland Office and just before Christmas, Christine Jardine in Downing Street.
But Tory Chancellor George Osborne has taken change of the Scottish question. So the arrival of Mr Jones is significant because it is clear that the Tories have decided that the Lib Dems cannot be allowed to deal with Scotland alone, not least because the Conservative approach is far more aggressive than the one Michael Moore first pursued.
Mr Jones, who knows the patch inside out, will be working out of Dover House, the Scotland Office in Whitehall, but it seems he will be floating between there and Downing Street. And, although the talk is working in partnership, it seems obvious that this is part of the process of the Conservatives taking control of the policy.
The change will be good for Mr Jones as well after a difficult few months. Despite giving long service for the party in hard times he was not flavour of the month among some of the defeated candidates in the recent Scottish leadership election and at one point asked to take gardening leave for allegedly supporting the eventual winner Ruth Davidson. The suggestion was that Mr Cameron wanted Ms Davidson as leader as well so if there was a transgression it has now been rewarded with a promotion.
Meanwhile, Labour is also moving its resources around for the fight ahead, perhaps sensing that its political fortunes, more than any party’s, is dependent on Scotland staying in the UK.
Significantly Alan Gillam, one of Labour’s most respected backroom operators, has returned from a sojourn to his post as shadow Scottish Secretary Margaret Curran’s aide and co-ordinate the campaign.
And at last week’s shadow cabinet meeting the redoubtable shadow Scottish Secretary Margaret Curran told her colleagues in no uncertain terms that she “will hunt them down individually” if they don’t give her what she needs to take on the SNP.
Not surprisingly they promised to make Scotland a top priority and she will get what she needs starting with high profile visits in the next fortnight.
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Comments
There are 24 comments to this article
Page 1 of 2
Hugo of Garven
Sunday, January 29, 2012 at 11:52 AM"Mr Jones, who knows the patch inside out, . . " Which patch is that? Holyrood or Westminster?
McNasty
Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 08:16 AMLooks like the Unionists are in a general panic over the referendum. Don't think Ramsay Jones is particularly well known.
neoloon
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 08:00 PMIt's disgusting to see so many Scottish unionists falling over themselves in their rush to do Westminster's dirty work.
Jimmy the Pie
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 12:29 AMHow's William Hague's campaign to destroy the Scotch Whisky industry getting on?? And I hear some unelected Lord wants to annex Orkney & Shetland. The unionist meltdown continues unabated.
Arseneknows
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 10:59 PMI would hope that, unlike the EU referendum in Ireland or the AV referendum, that the law on the independence vote requires full disclosure of all funding; preferably online as it is received and, even better, that only funding from those on the Scottish electoral roll should be permitted. The last thing we need is millionaire Tory funders like the Midlands Industrial Council, Lord Ashcroft, the Taxpayers Alliance et al up here peddling their right wing rubbish.
Willie Boy
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 08:31 PMC'mon Cameron, your wee girl Ruth has declared that she wants to fight, to destroy, and to kill Scottish nationalism. So let's have it bawbag, tell us why you want to fight us and kill us. Is it just Brito Neo Fascism and if so, how are you going to kill us. Gas camps - Mr Cameron. I don't think so.
SiônJones
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 06:17 PMWhy don't the unionists just unearth their killer 'Reasons for keeping the union'. If the reasons are as good as they say they are going to be, then it really doesn't matter who is delivering the message, does it? I wonder why they are holding back?
douglas-home rule
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 04:03 PMPlanned for months. Total fabrication, he has gone there because of the manipulation in the Scottish Tory election. He cannot remain where he was because of the bad feeling his pochling caused.
jaydee
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 03:34 PMThe debate being run by the Lib Dems... The party that came third in Scotland and third in England... Looking at their record on the tram system in Edinburgh.... It will have to be done twice, at 5 times the cost, 16 court cases and then back to the beginning...
Charlie McFarley
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 12:49 PM"Labour is also moving its resources around for the fight ahead, perhaps sensing that its political fortunes, more than any party’s, is dependent on Scotland staying in the UK." .....Apparently the ersatz journalists on this rag are in love with everything English but not necessarily conformity to the correct use of its language - fortunes...is dependent.=======However, they are acurate in the content. Both London Labour and its northern sub-branch are entirely dependent on the union. The careers, advancement and income of Labour drones depend on the union, which is why they are so desperately alarmed by its impending implosion. These rogues have never had the interests of the Scottish people at heart, which is why Joan MacAlpine's comments were so deserved and why they touched such a raw nerve - the truth hurts.
jamesdow
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 11:37 AM#13 Jo'Burg, at least we have advance warning. One seconds careless glance at Medusa will turn anyone to stone on the spot. I advise everyone to stay indoors for the duration and bring all family pets inside just to be on the safe side.
Jo'Burg Jock
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 11:19 AM"Stairheid Rammy" is "starting with high profile visits in the next fortnight." ________________________________________________________ This is shaping up to be the most entertaining period in this doomed Union. ________________________________________________________ I'm hoping for some classic nonsense from Milliband. Either of the upper class twits will do.
jamesdow
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 10:40 AM"Top names". Oh deary deary me ;-)))
Broon Bairn
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 10:23 AMWhat about our old friend Alastair ("Captain") Darling? Or the Undisputed Financial Genius of All Time, Gordo Broon? Or the Greatest Diplomat and Champion of Peace, St Blair of Iraq?
Shah Hoorsur
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 10:01 AMJones has a geat track record with his 'all conquering' Scottish Tory mob! Mr Salmond must be pure keechin' himsel! :)
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