Ruth babes

To borrow former tennis star John McEnroe’s phrase: “You cannot be serious.”

First, Tony Blair did not abolish the Labour Party, whereas Murdo Fraser is determined to dissolve the Scottish Conservative and Unionists.

Second, while no-one would deny that New Labour enjoyed “outstanding success” electorally, the novelty of the rebranding exercise slowly but surely wore thin – so thin that, at the last general election, the electorate rejected it decisively.

Mr Blair, meanwhile, is now widely reviled within his own party.

Ruth Davidson may be relatively short on parliamentary experience, but this does not mean she does not have the leadership skills to revive and re-energise the Scottish Conservatives.

On the contrary, her youth, passion and clear vision for Scotland as well as the party put her head and shoulders above her rivals.

Alastair Paterson

Pitheavlis Crescent

Perth

Clearly, Murdo Fraser’s proposal to scrap the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party and replace it with a new centre-right movement has been the predominant issue of the leadership election campaign. But Ruth Davidson’s rejection of the abolition proposal has been presented with erudition and real clarity.

It is still hard to understand why some senior party members seem prepared to be led up a blind alley which, many suspect, will be a dead-end when at last the party has someone of Ms Davidson’s calibre and courage who seems to know exactly how to change the ship’s course to success rather to the scrapyard.

Ms Davidson is unafraid to actually be a Conservative and would be the kind of leader who could appeal to all sections of the public. That is the kind of courage, belief and enthusiasm which is required to get the Scottish Conservative Party back on its feet again.

Iain McGill

West Annandale Street

Edinburgh