Young tory ideal candidate

AS someone who was aged just one when Margaret Thatcher was first elected Prime Minister, Scottish Conservative leadership hopeful Ruth Davidson must come across as the ideal candidate for Tories anxious to detoxify the party’s brand in Scotland.

The openly gay Tory, and list MSP for the traditional Labour heartlands of Glasgow, offiiclaly launched her bid to lead the party in Scotland admitting she “might not be the most traditional candidate” and offeering “real change” in the race to succeed Anabel Goldie.

A senior Tory MSP, who has thrown his weight behind Ms Davdison’s campaign, even told The Scotsman that Ms Davidson, who had the “potential charisma” of David Cameron - who is reported to favour the only female candidate in what is now an increasingly bitter electoral contest.

In that spirit Ms Davidson the 32-year-old, a keen kickboxer and former TA soldier, at her launch in Edinburgh made a fresh attack on the contorversial proposal breakaway centre-right party as a move that would “tie ourselves in knots.”

But Ms Davidson, who appeared at her launch in the Scottish capital wearing an enamel lapel badge baring the Union flag and the Saltaire, strongly came out against extending the powers of MSPs beyond the Scotland Bill, which she described as the “line in the sand.”

The former BBC journalist, who’s launch was atended by more than 80 supporters, in a strong defence of the union also talked about her belief that the UK is a “force for good.”

Ms Davidson said:

“Some, have chosen to write us off. And the debate so far has been dominated by the distraction over whether we should disband, renrand, change our name or renegotiate our relationship with colleagues in England and Wales.

“I have no interest in change for its own sake. We could spend the next 12 months discussing the internal machinations of the party. Wec oudl tie ourselves in knots.

“Real change for the Scotish COnservativs won’t come from a new name. Real change, real progress, will come when we strat talkning to people about the issues that matter to them.

“Real change will come when the party unites behind a dynamic modern leader.

“The next Scottish Conservative leader must also have the mettle to take on Alex Salmond and expose the SNP fraud.

“Mr Salmond is unarguably a successful politican, but he is not invincible. And I am not afraod of him.

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