Brian Monteith: It is time to give Scottish Tories a decent burial and start again

WHEN Norman Tebbit wrote yesterday that "What Scotland needs is a right of centre Scottish Unionist Party, and for my party to pack up north of the Border" he was not speaking for himself.

He was articulating a feeling among a growing number of Conservatives that if the party cannot make any impact in Scotland – in what is considered an impossible-to-lose election – it is time to move over and let someone else play.

When the Scottish Conservative MPs were wiped out in 1997, it was hoped that proportional representation would give Tories a platform to rebuild the party.

The attitude of Tory leaders – be it Hague, Duncan Smith, Howard or Cameron – was always to defer to what the Scottish leadership thought should be the best approach. They did not impose policies on devolved matters. They left it to David McLetchie, and then Annabel Goldie, to determine what powers the Scottish Parliament should have.

At all the private briefings I attended, the party in London looked to Scotland for a lead on Scottish matters. In the three years since I resigned from the party I have never had any reason to believe that this respectful and generous attitude has changed.

So when the Scottish Conservatives fail to win any new seats there are many at the heart of the party in London who think the game is now up – not just for Goldie but the party as a whole. Of course, the perception in Scotland is that Goldie's Conservatives are nothing but an appendage to an English party. The reason for this is simple: only on very few occasions has the Scottish party ever differed in its view about policy, and in particular it has avoided at all costs any discussion of obtaining greater powers for Holyrood.

This is in stark contrast to the Welsh Tories, who wear their patriotism on their sleeves and have advocated more powers for the Welsh Assembly.

Now, a deal is being finalised that will make a Liberal Democrat Cameron's Secretary for Scotland and thus deliver the coup de grace to the Scottish party. What will be the point of voting Conservative in Scotland ever again?

It is time for Cameron to give Scottish Conservatives a decent burial. Only then can the mourners find a new way to promote a party of small government, low taxes and a society that rewards aspiration and achievement. Changing the name, replacing the logo and having a new colour will not be enough – a new party is needed, without Goldie at the helm.