Ruth Davidson criticised for ‘vague’ speech telling Scots to be more like Germans
NEW Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson has urged Scotland to follow Germany by re-discovering the values of hard work and low debts, as she used her first major speech at the helm of the party to set out her vision for Scotland.
In a speech in Glasgow today focusing entirely on the economy, Ms Davidson claimed that “decades of socialism” had “dampened” Scotland’s capacity for enterprise and hard work, and hit out at European nations that had been living “beyond their means” and “cossetting” public sector workers.
Arguing that the “something for nothing culture” had now ended, she said Scotland had to return to “the principles which made us great”.
She praised the example of Germany, claiming their aversion to borrowing and debts had “led to decades of prosperity.” She added: “In Germany, saving is a virtue and debt is shameful”.
Noting that Scotland had “elevated being careful with money to a national stereotype”, she argued that the country now needed to return to such values.
“If we want to prosper, we are going to have to work for it, as our forefathers did,” she said.
But the speech stopped short of offering new policy proposals, with Ms Davidson insisting her beleaguered party first needs to explain its values to Scots, at a time when support is draining away north of the Border, before offering any specific plans.
That prompted opposition parties to accuse her of making “vague” value statements. They said the party should have taken the advice of leadership hopeful Murdo Fraser who used last year’s contest to call for the entire party to be wound up and replaced.
Ms Davidson also studiously avoided any mention of the debate on independence, in what aides said was a deliberate move to keep attention focussed on her own platform.
She also confirmed plans to lead a major policy review within the party, insisting that “nothing will be off the table for discussion”. This includes the issue of Holyrood’s current powers.
The 33-year-old won the leadership contest in November, succeeding Annabel Goldie, after just six months as an MSP. The move followed the party’s disappointing Holyrood election result in May when it lost two seats, taking its representation to just 15 out of 129.
Ms Davidson said the party had struggled to get its message across to voters for too long and that it needed to explain to people what its purpose was.
She said: “Our purpose is to decisively shift the balance of power from the hands of politicians into the hands of people and local communities.
“We believe in people, not in the state, and we believe that the bigger the size of the state, the smaller the role left for the individual citizen.”
Describing her speech as the first of several “values statements”, she said Scotland had been part of a “collective delusion” where people bought into a fantasy based on debt.
SNP MSP Kenneth Gibson said: “Perhaps it’s time the Tories stopped making laughable claims and issuing vague statements on values and instead took the advice of the erstwhile leadership contender Murdo Fraser and disbanded the party altogether.”
A Scottish Labour spokesman said: “Ruth Davidson claims to represent a fresh face for Scottish Conservatism but the reality is this is the same old Tories. The people of Scotland stopped listening to their tired rhetoric … a long time ago.”
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Comments
There are 134 comments to this article
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brianwci
Friday, January 6, 2012 at 10:36 PMShe added: “In Germany, saving is a virtue and debt is shameful”. Yes, but one assumes the Germans are getting more for their savings than our pathetic 0.5% for our efforts. It seems that every time Ruth opens her mouth she emphasises the fact that she, like Mr Rennie for the Lib Dems, is clearly out of her depth. The Holyrood opposition will not only be led by Johan Lamont, it will be Johan Lamont and some of her more switched on colleagues. Her biggest problem isn't Alex Salmond, it's keeping the 'lesser elements' in her group from slipping the lead and barking at shadows. VOTE YES.
nabodican
Friday, January 6, 2012 at 10:26 PMI met Maggie once and was well impressed, like all politicians she did not get everything right but on the whole she did a very good job, at that time the unions needed sorting and she did it. One thing is for sure - there is not a politician in Scotland that could have held a candle to her. We should make her a Saint.
Miliband's British Defence League
Friday, January 6, 2012 at 06:26 PM111 Exiled Leither slobbered; . I have a genuine love for the Scottish shipbuilding and marine industries and have studied them both at college and throughout my professional development and I can tell you that there were two main causes behind it's collapse and neither of them were the Tory party! _______________________________________________________ Utter Rollocks. The only cause of Scottish industries being crushed are the TORIES. Thatcher refused to pay £6,000,000 to Clydeside industries yet funded John Delorian's Texas drug smuggling car factory to the tune of over £100,000,000! Thatcher also smashed Scotland's massive and profitable coal mining industries to get revenge on union bosses. Childish, destructive and should have been burned at the stake as treasonous and the Tories are still wrecking Scotland today. See Cameron's pledge to interfere and halt the movement towards independence.
Auld Twa
Friday, January 6, 2012 at 05:06 PMFor one thing the Germans are content to live in rented accommodation while we all want to own our houses. Encouraged by Margaret Thatcher and again proposed by David Cameron. We can't spend our money on exorbitantly priced houses and save at the same time.
Brit-free
Friday, January 6, 2012 at 04:22 PMi vote Tory , says Exiled Leither ......ha ha ha ...in Scotland , of course ...we never know how to react to such an admission of political inbecility .....we dont really " DO " toryism ...should we react with anger or hilarity ...i tend towards hilarity myself , after all such a near moribund excuse of a party is losing its aged and infirm membership by the day , to senility or death .....their chances of renewing their fortunes in Scotland are on a par , with Ian Paisley Snr being elected president of the Irish Republic , i mean , it could theoretically happen .......Hip Hip Hooray for King Cammers !
andyglasgow
Friday, January 6, 2012 at 03:27 PMThanks for reminding me tartancult, I forgot to add, little sarcy rats with nothing constructive add.
well informed
Friday, January 6, 2012 at 02:39 PMI see nobody cares to inform the people of Scotland what the plans under devolution are today! I see that either there are no plans or the plans are so ludicrous that they have to be kept secret and unavailable! I cant say I blame them lets face it how do you justify or spin an argument that has to tell folk that there is a certain specific level of control which produces the optimum in benefit and stablity when a higher level of control or full control doesnt or is in fact detrimental to that optimum value of benefit and stability!!! Never mind the fact that that optimum value of control cannot be defined nor quantified! The case for the union!!!
Davie08
Friday, January 6, 2012 at 12:44 PMI am sure this nonsense will go down well with the collection of little old ladies and saloon bar bores that now comprise the Scottish Tory Party. One does despair that early eighties mantras are still being trotted out when it is patently obvious that 30 years of this has brought us to our present condition.
well informed
Friday, January 6, 2012 at 11:50 AM124 Oh well now Im convinced! How could I ever be so mistaken? Never have I witnessed such sincerity in print!
well informed
Friday, January 6, 2012 at 11:44 AMsee nobody cares to inform the people of Scotland what the plans under devolution are today! I see that either there are no plans or the plans are so ludicrous that they have to be kept secret and unavailable! I cant say I blame them lets face it how do you justify or spin an argument that has to tell folk that there is a certain specific level of control which produces the optimum in benefit and stablity when a higher level of control or full control doesnt or is in fact detrimental to that optimum value of benefit and stability!!! Never mind the fact that that optimum value of control cannot be defined nor quantified! The case for the union!!!
Exiled Leither
Friday, January 6, 2012 at 11:08 AMSalad Cream or Mayo,,,,,,, I see you have met our friendly lunatic well informed, even the cybernats take the mick out of him for his hilarious rantings. He loves a good conspiracy and when not here foaming at the mouth he can be found at local boating ponds swearing at the ducks. In some ways it is a shame these forums are anonymous as in all honesty someone should really get the man behind the moniker some help. I am a marine engineer and bar about three years as an oil worker have only ever been a marine engineer but he has accused me of everything from Labour trol (I vote Tory) to Mi5 agent. I find it best not to feed his fury too much as he will only hurt himself banging his head off walls etc.
Gallowglass
Friday, January 6, 2012 at 11:06 AM120 - That would be because the TinMan is a Unionist as far as I know.
well informed
Friday, January 6, 2012 at 10:30 AM120 And you only ever tell the truth eh? Cos the evidence is all over the blogs!
The Harder They Come
Friday, January 6, 2012 at 10:07 AM120. Lying, cheating, conniving - the unionist way.
salad cream or mayo?
Friday, January 6, 2012 at 09:48 AMI promise you, this is my only pseudonym, how strange the delude lefties and nats don't rust anyone.
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