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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Scottish Tory leadership favourite 'to disband party' | Scottish Tory leadership favourite 'to disband party' |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The frontrunner for leader of the Scottish Conservatives has said he will disband the party if he wins the leadership election next month. | The frontrunner for leader of the Scottish Conservatives has said he will disband the party if he wins the leadership election next month. |
| The MSP Murdo Fraser says the Conservatives carry too much baggage in Scotland and claims a new centre-right party would attract more voters. | The MSP Murdo Fraser says the Conservatives carry too much baggage in Scotland and claims a new centre-right party would attract more voters. |
| The party would sit with the Tories in the Commons but have its own policies. | The party would sit with the Tories in the Commons but have its own policies. |
| Mr Fraser said David Cameron was aware and the idea had the support of several senior Conservatives at Westminster. | Mr Fraser said David Cameron was aware and the idea had the support of several senior Conservatives at Westminster. |
| He told the BBC: "What we have to do is get many more people elected from Scottish constituencies to support David Cameron and a future UK Conservative government and the best way to do that is to create a new progressive centre-right with a Scottish identity." | He told the BBC: "What we have to do is get many more people elected from Scottish constituencies to support David Cameron and a future UK Conservative government and the best way to do that is to create a new progressive centre-right with a Scottish identity." |
| He added: "I think that will be much more attractive to many people in Scotland who share our values." | He added: "I think that will be much more attractive to many people in Scotland who share our values." |
| Leadership pitch | Leadership pitch |
| The Conservatives have failed to revive their fortunes in Scotland since the 1997 general election, which saw them lose all 11 of their Westminster seats. | The Conservatives have failed to revive their fortunes in Scotland since the 1997 general election, which saw them lose all 11 of their Westminster seats. |
| At last year's election, they only managed to retain one MP, David Mundell in Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale. | At last year's election, they only managed to retain one MP, David Mundell in Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale. |
| Mr Fraser says the party has been in continual decline in Scotland since the 1960s and the best option was to create a new party. | Mr Fraser says the party has been in continual decline in Scotland since the 1960s and the best option was to create a new party. |
| But he can expect some opposition with the former Secretary of State for Scotland, Lord Forsyth, calling the plan a "ludicrous idea" which amounts to raising the white flag in the face of opposition from the SNP. | But he can expect some opposition with the former Secretary of State for Scotland, Lord Forsyth, calling the plan a "ludicrous idea" which amounts to raising the white flag in the face of opposition from the SNP. |
| Mr Fraser says his campaign slogan in the Scottish Conservatives leadership race was a "new party for Scotland". | Mr Fraser says his campaign slogan in the Scottish Conservatives leadership race was a "new party for Scotland". |
| "This is the central plank of my leadership pitch," he said. | "This is the central plank of my leadership pitch," he said. |
| "And what I'll be saying effectively is there is a lot of interest in centre-right values amongst people in Scotland but they don't vote for the Conservative Party." | "And what I'll be saying effectively is there is a lot of interest in centre-right values amongst people in Scotland but they don't vote for the Conservative Party." |