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Ruth Davidson: Only Tories represent those in favour of Union | Ruth Davidson: Only Tories represent those in favour of Union |
(about 11 hours later) | |
Only the Conservatives represent those in Scotland who want to remain part of the UK, according to the party's Scottish leader. | Only the Conservatives represent those in Scotland who want to remain part of the UK, according to the party's Scottish leader. |
Ruth Davidson delivered that message during a speech at the Tory conference in Manchester. | |
She addressed delegates ahead of Prime Minister David Cameron's speech. | |
Her focus was on the 2016 Holyrood election in which she said every vote for the Conservatives would "promote Scotland's place" as part of the UK. | |
The Conservatives have only one Scottish MP but 15 MSPs at Holyrood. | The Conservatives have only one Scottish MP but 15 MSPs at Holyrood. |
Speaking at a fringe event at the conference on Sunday, Ms Davidson told activists her party was on track for its "best ever result" in next year's Holyrood elections. | Speaking at a fringe event at the conference on Sunday, Ms Davidson told activists her party was on track for its "best ever result" in next year's Holyrood elections. |
In last year's independence referendum people in Scotland voted to remain in the UK by 55% to 45%. | |
In her speech to conference, Ms Davidson said the Scottish Conservatives were the party who represented the two million Scots who chose to back the Union. | |
She insisted the Tories would target the regional vote in next year's Scottish Parliament elections and she urged people, whatever their party allegiance, to consider giving their second vote to the Conservatives. | |
Ms Davidson told those gathered: "I don't want us to be just the party of the technocrat. The grudging vote of competence. | |
"I want us to be the party of the thinkers, the dreamers, the reformers and the visionaries too. | |
"The zeal of the missionary, the courage of the pioneer, the ambition to lift our eyes to the horizon and say there's a new Jerusalem we want to build and we will work towards it every day. | |
"And, more than that. We'll take people with us." | |
She added: "So long as the SNP refuses to rule out another referendum, our message for voters looking to cast that second vote is clear. Whichever party you support, use that vote intelligently. | |
"And if you're one of the two million people who voted 'No' in last year's referendum, use it as your intelligent vote for the Union." | "And if you're one of the two million people who voted 'No' in last year's referendum, use it as your intelligent vote for the Union." |
Ms Davidson went on to tell conference "Every cross in the Scottish Conservative box is a vote to promote Scotland's place as part of the United Kingdom we built. And every vote for the Scottish Conservatives will help return a Conservative MSP." | |
Ahead of Ms Davidson's address, Scottish Secretary David Mundell spoke to party members. | |
Mr Mundell said: "We are stronger and safer together as partners in our UK. That is what just over two million voted just over a year ago, to keep our nations together. It was a 'no thanks' to independence." | |
He added that the Conservative Party was in "the vanguard" of the No to Scottish independence campaign. | |
However, Mr Mundell said there could not be room for complacency and "championing the UK must be a full time job". |
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