Alan Cochrane
Arow appears to be brewing within the ranks of the Conservative and Unionist Party – to give that outfit its full and normally proudly-stated name – that needs to be nipped in the bud immediately. If it is permitted to fester, it could well do lasting damage to what is generally accepted to be this country’s most successful election-fighting entity.
At a minimum, it could well see the breakaway of the party’s Scottish branch from the Tory fold – and this observer, for one, wouldn’t blame them. What this budding stramash is all about is what appears to be a, frankly, over-the-top reaction from Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ) in London to a pretty straightforward suggestion from Douglas Ross, the leader of the Scottish Tories, to the dramatically changed political situation north of the border. He is calling for supporters of the Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat parties to reach an accommodation – no more – with each other to put party differences aside in favour of smashing support for those who would break up Britain.
“Country before party” is his watchword, but it is a maxim that seems to be falling on stony ground in London. In displaying a touch too much of the arrogance that often alienates Scottish Tories from their London-based colleagues, CCHQ has declared that Ross’s appeal is “emphatically not the view of the Conservative Party”. And a spokesman added: “We want people to vote for Conservative candidates wherever they are standing.”
However, this dismissive reaction provoked a swift response from senior Scottish Tories, with one front-bench source declaring: “This is typical for those teenage scribblers at Central Office, who know nothing about Scotland.” This view was echoed by a former minister, who added: “Sadly, this is another example of a lack of commitment to the Union. The nationalists aren’t over and it’s really important that they’re routed at the next election.” The recent meltdown of the once all-powerful Scottish National Party still has some way to go as more explosive revelations hit the headlines and dominate the news agenda on a daily basis.
Chaos now reigns in “Natland”. Nicola Sturgeon resigned last month as SNP leader and first minister, while her husband Peter Murrell was arrested following a police investigation into the party’s financial affairs. At the time of writing, that investigation is still ongoing. As such, it is a golden opportunity to bring to an end the nationalists’ hegemony in Scotland, where they’ve ruled the roost since becoming the biggest party and forming a government 16 years ago. However, Ross is not advocating what Central Office clearly believe is akin to treachery. Instead, what he’s suggesting is that in central Scotland, where Labour candidates have a better chance of toppling the SNP, Tory voters might get behind Labour. Moreover, that generosity might be reciprocated in, say, the north-east, where Labour voters would back Tory candidates. He added that he believed change might be coming “if parties maybe look a bit beyond their own narrow party agenda to what’s best for the country”.
New First Minister Humza Yousaf and his Cabinet are trying to put a brave face on the shambles they’ve inherited – one which, certainly in policy terms, they had a hand in. But they know in their heart of hearts that the game’s up. Mike Russell, the SNP president who was a cabinet minister in several administrations and a “long marcher” for the nationalist cause, said that independence was off the agenda for now. But his realistic assessment suggests that now is certainly the time for the forces of Unionism in Scotland to put aside any petty differences and unite to smash the running sore that is separatism and which has dominated public discourse in Scotland for decades.
What is now required are cool heads in the Unionist camp. Labour has an important part to play in also putting the country first – a tall order, perhaps, for a party that’s been out of power since 2010. But it’s a battle well worth fighting and winning. On the Tory side, Douglas Ross would be well-advised to tone down his rhetoric. Any arrangements with Labour should be agreed locally and, if possible, discreetly. And Conservative Central Office should cool their responses, stop playing the “heavy” and realise that Scottish voters are ahead of them on this issue, being well-practised in tactical voting. The final defeat of nationalism is still a fair way off. To get there, it would be best if everyone adopted that hugely successful wartime slogan to “keep calm and carry on”.
The Telegraph
