Demonstrations, diversions and disagreement: Cameron picks up in Scotland where Thatcher and Major left off

A TORY Prime Minister is shouted down by Scottish protesters angry at job losses and government cutbacks. All that was needed was Spandau Ballet playing in the background and a jogger in spandex rushing by to make this a scene right out of the 1980s, a decade defined by Margaret Thatcher that left so many Scots cold.

• David Cameron and Alex Salmond meet for talks. Picture: PA

But this is 2010, and yesterday new Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron found out the hard way that he has a big job on his hands to win over voters north of the Border.

Scotland is now a very different country. But not if you are a Tory.

Despite widespread popular acclaim in England and a pledge to begin a "new politics", Mr Cameron strode into Edinburgh yesterday to the echo of an anti-Thatcherite favourite bouncing up the Royal Mile from protestors.

"Tories, Tories, Tories, f*** off back to Eton!" screamed an assorted group of some 200 anarchists, communists and Scottish Socialists.

Many of them would have been in primary school during the Thatcher years.

It was not what Mr Cameron had hoped to hear on his first official trip since taking the official seal of office from the Queen.

Nervousness about the reception awaiting Mr Cameron even extended to Tory party officials who passed the time waiting for the new Prime Minister's arrival by practising their clapping.

Meanwhile, his security staff, mindful of flying eggs, thought it might be wiser to take him into the parliament through the back way into the underground car park. He had been expected to enter through Queensberry House on the Royal Mile.

The new Prime Minister was in Scotland with his Liberal Democrat Scottish Secretary, Danny Alexander, to meet Holyrood party leaders and promote his "respect agenda" for Scottish politics, promising to make annual visits to answer questions from MSPs and send his ministers north of the Border to give reports and answer to committees. But it was also an attempt by the new Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition to underline its mandate to rule in Scotland on reserved issues.

Mr Cameron was at pains to point out that the two parties between them picked up 250,000 more votes than Alex Salmond's SNP when it was elected into government in 2007.

It was a topical point to make ahead of the meeting with the First Minister in St Andrew's House, but one that was lost on the 1980s re-enactment society outside.

"Not our PM" noted one banner. "Free Scotland" suggested another.

Then there was the new chant for the new challenges: "They say cut back, we say fight back".

And just when you thought that all that was needed to complete the scene was an anti-poll-tax banner then, right on cue, one popped up. It is always comforting to go back to the old certainties.

But as in the great Bonnie Prince Charlie tradition, history and myth were happily merged. "We got rid of Thatcher, we can get rid of you," went up a cry.

But never to be put off by a heckler or a hundred or two, Mr Cameron strode into the Scottish Parliament with his usual aura of unremitting positivity.

There was a quick cheer or yelp as he was rushed through the Garden Lobby to meet a fellow old Etonian – Presiding Officer Alex Fergusson – and the three opposition leaders.

Then, half an hour later, he was out again to address the assembled throng of Tory and Lib Dem party employees, who had made sure they were standing apart from each other.

The Tories had longer to get their cheer right as he marched purposefully to the microphone with a now slightly dazed and bewildered Danny Alexander in tow.

A second effort at having a cheer was led by former Tory campaign chief David McLetchie who, in the spirit of the new politics, was wearing a tie with blue stars on a pale yellow background.

There was a handshake for Mr McLetchie from his leader, although a few wondered if that whispered greeting from the Prime Minister was: "Couldn't you do any better than one out of 59 seats?"

And with that in mind, he turned round and suggested to everybody that it was time "for a fresh start".

"I truly meant what I said in the election campaign about wanting to pursue a respect agenda," he added hopefully.

"I believe Scotland deserves that respect and I want to try to win Scotland's respect as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom."

Poor Mr Alexander looked as though he did not know what to say.

It may be that he is trying to square up his recent statement, "You can't trust the Tories", with being appointed a minister by one.

"They're is really not much I can add," he said desperately at one point.

So with due "respect" the two sneaked out of the back door again and bypassed the protesters to take the journey up Calton Hill to meet one 1980s figure that still has some cach in Scotland.

But it seemed that Alex Salmond was not in the mood for reliving his old poll tax protests and appeared to have been charmed by the new man from Number 10.

"I felt the meeting was positive, constructive, detailed and substantive," gushed the First Minister, apparently "surprised" at how well briefed his adversary – or was that new friend – had been on various issues of grudge, gripe and grievance.

If only, though, some of that charm could have rubbed off on the 1980s society who had trudged up the hill to continue their protest.

As Mr Cameron and Mr Alexander left, there was one last exhausted protest as a flying egg just missed the back of their car.

Now that brings back memories of John Major.