The unlikely Glaswegian Tory fighting for a Labour heartland

AS LABOUR went through the public humiliation of trying to find somebody to fight the by-election for the supposedly safe Glasgow East seat, a name emerged who appeared to tick all their favourite boxes.

The candidate is an ethnic minority woman, an active trade unionist who has stood on the picket lines, spent much of her career in the public sector, sits on Unison's national women's and black members' committees and is a single mother. Added to that, she is a Glaswegian born and bred.

It was the sort of inclusive CV that would have had Labour's UK deputy leader, Harriet Harman, jumping for joy in her role as equalities minister. But, unfortunately for Labour, the candidate in question for the 24 July vote is a Tory – much to the surprise of her opponents.

Davena Rankin, 35, appears to be the most unlikely Conservative candidate in many a year. And her sudden appearance in the political spotlight in one of the biggest by-elections in years has raised questions about whether she is the face of David Cameron's new inclusive Conservatism appealing to a broader base, or simply a political gimmick.

It has not taken long for opponents to start whispering that Ms Rankin's candidature is nothing more than a ploy to make them appear inclusive.

"The Tories put women and ethnic minorities in unwinnable seats," one Labour activist told The Scotsman. "Behind the window-dressing the Tories are the same old-school-tie, white, male-dominated party they have always been. Look at Cameron and his Old Etonian pals. She's just a gimmick."

Ms Rankin is not the first surprising candidate to be fielded in an unwinnable by-election by the Conservatives. As recently as 2006, the Dunfermline and West Fife candidate in David Cameron's first by-election as leader was another single mother, Carrie Ruxton, a top nutritionist who disappeared from the political scene as quickly as she appeared.

Then roll on to this year's victorious Crewe and Nantwich by-election: the Tories were back to the old-school-tie with Edward Timpson, the heir to a shoe-shop empire.

There had been surprise on a leading Tory blog that Ms Rankin had apparently replaced the established male candidate, Pat McPhee, a North Ayrshire councillor.

However, the Conservatives are keen to show that somebody like Ms Rankin can make it on ability alone without the need for all-women shortlists as used by Labour.

"It's true that Davena is very different to the type of person people think of as a Conservative candidate," a senior Scottish Conservative insider said. "The fact that she is our candidate in such a high-profile by-election does give out a very positive message, but that's not why she was selected, and it's not as new as people think."

Ms Rankin, he pointed out, has stood in Westminster, Holyrood and Glasgow City Council elections since 2001 and is an experienced candidate. He went on: "It's true that her image is very much associated with what David Cameron is trying to do with the party in broadening its appeal, but the reality is that work has been going on before Mr Cameron became leader and people's perceptions are only now catching up with Conservative reality. Davena is evidence of that."

When The Scotsman caught up with her in the Tory campaign office in Tollcross Road, Ms Rankin herself insisted that she is no new Conservative, emphasising the fact that she became a member in 1999 at the height of Tony Blair's and New Labour's popularity and the depth of Tory despair under William Hague's ill-fated leadership.

"I had always voted Conservative, but by 1999 I was so fed up with Tony Blair and found him so annoying that I decided to join the Conservatives," she said. "Since then I have stood for election as a Conservative in 2001, 2005 and 2007, so I am not here because of David Cameron, even though I admire him and what he is doing."

And she saw no contradiction between her trade-union activity and party affiliation. Her union activity goes well beyond carrying a membership card. She is a Unison branch secretary at Glasgow Caledonian University, where she is a commercial manager for Research and Innovation Services. She also sits on its national women's and black members' committees. She has stood on a picket line and, when asked, would not rule out striking again in the future.

"I don't see any conflict in my union activity and being Conservative," she said. "As far as I am concerned, both are about standing up for people and fighting on their behalf. I don't think that's true of Labour. You also have to remember that unions are very different now; many members belong to a range of political parties. I know a lot of closet Conservatives in the union movement."

But when it comes the nitty-gritty of some potential clashes of policy, she was not so clear. Which comes first, tax cuts or improved services?

"Can I fudge that one?" she responded – and then added: "I want to see good-quality services and fair taxes. I think people pay too much at the moment, especially in stealth taxes, and when it comes down to it, it was Gordon Brown who scrapped the 10p tax rate which hit some of the poorest workers and the Conservatives who fought to have it restored."

Ms Rankin is also a single mother and very proud of Bryce, her five-year-old son. But she faced a potentially awkward situation on the opening day of her campaign when David Cameron started talking about a new moral agenda. Part of his speech berated families without fathers and called for much greater responsibility among individuals to mend Britain's "broken society". A very old-fashioned Conservative message.

It was very much in keeping with the report that the former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith, who was also present, had produced on Glasgow and its social ills. But Ms Rankin said she was "entirely comfortable" with that agenda and did not feel personally slighted.

"Basically, it's about making children learn about right and wrong, and I can tell you my son understands that very well," she said.

"It is very important that people start taking responsibility for themselves and their own actions, but what I like about the Conservative approach is that it is a constructive one which helps people help themselves, rather than the dependency culture encouraged by Labour."

She added: "One of the things that influenced me was growing up in Drumchapel in Glasgow. There I saw people come in and lecture people about regeneration and then leave at 5pm to go home. That's the Labour way. The Conservative way is working within the communities and getting people to do it themselves."

Even though her odds of victory have now stretched to 100/1, she will not brook the possibility of defeat, but behind her answer on her future there is a hint of greater ambition. Would she look beyond Glasgow, maybe to England, for a winnable seat? "I'll answer that on July 25," she said.

But whether she gets a better opportunity may well answer the question about whether she represents the Conservative future or is a short-term political gimmick.

WHO'S WHO

MARIA HUTCHINGS

Eastleigh (Conservative target 16)

Mother of an autistic son, Ms Hutchings made her name as a disability rights campaigner. She famously "handbagged" Tony Blair on television about the lack of support for parents.

LAURA SANDYS

South Thanet (Conservative target 20)

Has spent much of her working life campaigning for better care for the elderly and people with motor neurone disease. Also a human rights campaigner.

PRITI PATEL

Witham (New seat with a notional Conservative majority of 7,241)

Has been tagged as one of the new faces of Conservatism because she is young, talented, female and Asian, but made her name working for William Hague.