08/06/2013 Scottish Conservative Party Conference

Scottish Conservative Party conference in Stirling. The party

members are gathering in the Albert Halls, eagerly awaiting the leader's

address from Ruth Davidson. She's been criticised for changing her

mind on further powers for Holyrood, but she's received fulsome backing

from the Prime Minister. And in the Scottish town where many great

events have gone down in history, an unusual guest at the feast, the

former Labour Chancellor Alistair Darling.

Thanks for joining us. With me here in the studio is our regular

commentator on Scottish party conferences, Professor John Curtice

of Strathclyde University, and our political editor Brian Taylor is in

the thick of it in Stirling. Brian, is Ruth Davidson coping with some

dissent in the ranks? She seems to be coping with

remarkable resilience. She certainly has no intention of stepping down,

if that is indeed the intent. I think there is a degree of grumbling

and disquiet, rather than an organised attempt at a coup. It is

grumbling and this content. Some of it is in express behind-the-scenes

and some of it is being put in code, in terms of complaining about the

absence of the debate at the conference over her proposal for

more powers for the Scottish Parliament. But there is grumbling

and disquiet and discontent, because frankly the party, both in UK terms

and in Scotland, is not doing that well. They will be content that they

are doing relatively well, they would argue, with regard to the

referendum. The one who pitted best was Annable Goldie, speaking at the

preconference dinner, she criticised the leadership, characterising them

as incontinent chill our lives in search of a lamp post.

There seems to be some discontent in the street outside, we can see a

protest? Yes, I think it is against the

bedroom tax. There is a bigger demonstration today than there was

yesterday. This is part of party conferences. We are just outside the

Albert Halls and the demo is just outside the marquee.

John Curtice, Ruth Davidson will speak in a few minutes. What does

she have to tell the members in the whole? This almost comes off the

back of the conversation you have just had with Brian Taylor. There is

grumbling and she has two impose her authority with this speech. -- she

has two impose her authority. She has only been an MSP for two years.

She's only 34 and she has taken on a substantial task. Almost inevitably

there with the indication, given that lack of experience, when the

party said, have we made a mistake? She needs to demonstrate a giving a

good speech that she does indeed have the qualities that are required

of a party leader. She also needs to end what is clearly now something of

a muddle about the direction of the party over the question of more

devolution. She won the party leadership, backed by, and seemingly

herself a member, of the no more devolution camp. Then we discovered

a few weeks ago that she was setting up a commission to look at the

prospect of more devolution. There has been uncertainty about the

progress made by the commission. It has not yet met. This is a divisive

issue within her party. If she has decided to jump ship, she needs to

jump with a substantial leap, because at the moment, there seems

to be a risk that she will fall between the two camps. She has lost

the support of those that thought she was a Unionist, and now she is

not trying to convince those who want more devolution. The

Conservative Party is meant to be coming up with new policy ideas. She

is meant to be engaged in great and branch reform of policy. We are told

that she will say something about respite for tears, though

intriguingly, I think that will cost a bit of money. More broadly, how

message to us has been, I want to reduce the size of government. We

want to hear how she will plan to deliver that aspect of her strategy.

This sounds like a classic politician's bribe. Thank you very

much. In the conference hall, Ruth Davidson is going to speak in just a

few moments time. She is being introduced by the Conservative MEP

at her side. He is giving that introduction just now. That is him

speaking. Yesterday, the Prime Minister backed Ruth Davidson to be

held. Do you think he is perhaps slightly frustrated at the people

who are speaking out against Ruth Davidson? Certainly the Prime

Minister, in a well-publicised speech in the first half of last

year, indicated that he was willing to contemplate the prospect of more

devolution. We were asking, how will the Prime Minister deliver on that,

given that his leader in Scotland has said that the sheep be no more

devolution? I will just stop you there. Ruth Davidson is taking to

the stage. Let's listen to the introduction. I remember that

conversation in your flat in Glasgow around the kitchen table. He said,

I'd you sure you work with my wife at the BBC? For the last 14 years,

you have been our ambassador in Europe, a voice of common sense and

a parliament that often lacks that virtue. You have twice been named

MEP of the year. But I have found where you started. Here is an old

election leaflet that I dug out. This is a rather more freshfaced

version of the man seeking to be re-elected to the Highland Council

in 1984. He says, in the ten years that I have represented this ward, I

have travelled more than 90,000 miles, and dealt effectively with

more than 5000 complaints. Nearly 30 years later, I think it is fair to

say that you have more miles on the clock. Your dedication to serving

all of the people that you have represented through the years has

remained undimmed. That is why your help with such high regard, not just

across Scotland and in this whole, but you get the grateful thanks of

all office in this party. Thank you for your service. Friends, the last

few years across the country have been hard, but it is important to

remember where we were just three-year Sigel. We were at the end

of 13 years of Labour rule and we had the biggest structural deficit

of any major economy, even before the financial crisis engulfed the

world, our banks had looked up the biggest debts, the economy had lost

ground to the emerging powerhouses of China and India. We had a choice

as a country, do we deal with the deficit and get the public finances

in order, do we face up to the long-term issues, or do we follow

the path urged by Labour and the SNP, more borrowing, more spending,

more taxes and more debt. This is the approach that got us into

trouble in the first place. I know my choice. If we want a country that

succeeds, it must be built on firm foundations, not on a yawning budget

deficit and the mountain of debt. That is why I am pleased that we

have a Conservative led government in the UK that is resolved to take

the difficult decisions that will lead us to a better future. It is

why I am pleased that we have a Prime Minister in David Cameron that

is determined to stay the course and said Britain and the path to

stability and future success. Hard decisions in the national interest

are being made by the UK Government, and in Scotland, we will soon take

our own big decision. 14 months from today we will know the outcome of

the referendum on independence. It will be a momentous decision, the

biggest of our lifetime. With the signing of the Edinburgh agreement,

the UK Government on the vote that will ensure that the voice of the

Scottish people is heard. We know that we must visit every home in

every street in every town in Scotland. We must explain why we

work harder, why we stand stronger and shout louder inside the UK and

not separate from it. But if the process of the referendum has been

made clear over the last year, then the SNP's case for independence has

become ever more confused and contradictory. Once the SNP advanced

an independent Scotland signing up to the euro. Now with the Eurozone

in crisis they have ditched that commitment and claimed that an

independent Scotland would form a currency union and keep the pound.

But they have not thought to ask the Bank of England. Blind assertion

from the SN he was absolutely no basis in fact. Why would the rest of

the UK, a country from which Scotland has just voted to break

away, agree to shed its currency? Why would the Bank of England be

prepared to act as lender of last resort to an independent Scotland?

And even if they were, what can this independence we did leave when

Scotland's main economic decisions were dictated to by a Treasury of a

foreign power. If Scotland wants to keep the pound, there is only one

way to be certain of that, delivering a resounding no to

separation in the referendum. Friends, it is not just the SNP's

case for a currency that is falling apart. What with independence mean

for Scotland's pensioners? The Nationalists say that pensions with

a more generous, but leaked government documents show that they

doubt the affordability of the pension schemes that currently exist

if we go along. As part of the UK, the costs of the pension schemes are

spread across the number of taxpayers in the country. The burden

would be heavier if it was to follow in Scottish taxpayers alone. No

wonder the SNP do not see in public what we know they understanding

Private, that even to maintain the existing value of the state pension

in an independent Scotland, taxes would need to go up or spending in

other areas of social protection would need to go down. Pensioners

know that they have a sustainable system in the UK now, and the vote

for independence would be a leap in the dark for all of them. What about

the future jobs and prospective that we all want to see? Scottish jobs

and prosperity depend on thriving businesses. Scotland trades more

with the rest of the UK than with the rest of the world combined. What

with the shape of an independent Scott and be? What impact would to

new different systems of business regulation have on our ability to

trade with the best of the UK? These are questions that are vital to our

future can make success and upon which, Scottish jobs depend. But

there are questions to which the advocates of independence have given

no satisfactory answers. Even asking them results in better accusations

that we are doing Scotland down. Do we really want to live in a country

where legitimate scrutiny is dismissed as unpatriotic? In this

sea of some -- uncertainty, there is still one inescapable truth.

Barriers to trade stifle business growth, they cost us jobs and they

cost us a prosthetic and independence for Scotland would mean

greater barriers, bad for business, bad for jobs, bad for our future

national disparity. It is not more red tape that Scotland needs to

succeed, it is less and the biggest barrier to trade between Scotland

and the other three nations in the UK would be about to leave the UK.

Our vote next year would be a positive boat, a positive vote for

Scottish business, the Scottish jobs, for the economic benefits that

come with membership of the United Kingdom. We will be voting to stay

in Britain because it is the key to a fairer, more secure and more

successful Scotland. Conference, what of our Armed Forces? The Royal

Navy, the British Army, they make up the most professional fighting force

in the world. I spoke yesterday of seeing their work up close, watching

our soldiers patrol the streets in Kosovo. Of securing a nation that

had torn itself apart. Of keeping the peace while a country which is

experiencing genocide and ethnic cleansing was slowly building itself

by and bringing itself back together, turning itself into a

modern European nation. Just as I sought then, I believe now. The

United Kingdom is a force for good in this world. We owe our service

men and women greater debt than we can ever repay. Scottish soldiers

have fought side-by-side, shoulder to shoulder with their English,

Welsh and Northern Irish brethren generations. Many have paid the

ultimate price. We owe it to them, we owe it to them to fight for what

they believe in, for what they chose to join, her Majesty 's Armed Forces

and this afternoon, we will help launch a new cross-party group

campaign for them, Forces Together. I know you will show your support

and you will help Alistair Darling get Forces Together after the start

it deserves. Conference, if you listen to the proponents of

independence, you will hear a vision of a Scotland that is a land flowing

with milk and honey, with no hard choices ever needing to be made,

where so-called free benefits would exist without question or debates,

where we simply ride the rapids of the supposedly never ending oil

revenues where they promise you double the sunshine and only half

the rain. But it is a virtual Scotland that exists only in the

sales pitch of the SNP. It is a vision of the future that demands

that we suspend our disbelief and close our eyes to the facts. Where,

if you ask them questions, you will be told no lies. I do not doubt that

an independent Scotland could survive in the world, we are a proud

nation of talented, industrious and creative people. I don't want a

future where Scotland simply survives. I want a future in which

Scotland succeeds, in which Scotland brochures and that success is best

served by renewing our place in our United Kingdom. We all know the

economic case for Scotland staying within the UK. There is something

else, something deeper, something instinctive. I don't want to have to

choose between two different parts of my identity. I am Scottish first

and I will always be Scottish first. But that doesn't diminish in any way

that I am British, too, and I am proud to be so. Most Scots feel the

same. We can and should celebrate the things that make us

distinctively Scottish or Welsh or northern errors or English, but we

should also celebrate the things that are us together as British

which make as stronger and better together. When I cross the border

into England, I may feel like I have left home but I don't feel I have

arrived in a foreign country and that should be. Around one in six

Scots live and work in England. My sister is one of them, a doctor

living in Newcastle. 400,000 people here in Scotland were born elsewhere

in the UK. Our United Kingdom is a family of nations and with such a

remarkable degree of interaction and interdependence between our peoples,

the very last thing we need is to divide ourselves internally.

Scottish, British, pride to be both. We will fight today, tomorrow and

every day between now and the referendum, to defend Scotland boss

Mike place in our family. We are the Scottish Conservative and Unionist

party. We believe in Britain. But we put Scotland first and in doing so,

we seek to ask ourselves to questions. What kind of Scotland do

we want to build? What kind of party do we want to be? The choice is

clear. We can talk to ourselves as perhaps we have too often in the

past or we can have an open and constructive conversation with the

people of Scotland about how we can help tackle their fears and hope we

can meet their aspirations. We can hold onto the old ways and follow up

at slow decline or we can choose to do something about it. We can choose

to turn it around. Choose to build a modern Scottish Conservative party

that speaks to the aspirations of mainstream Scotland which once again

attract the votes of April from every part of the country and every

walk of life. I am proud of our party' history but we cannot let in

the past. Like you, I believe in our future and the future of Scotland. I

believe we must be the agents of change that Scotland needs in our

country is to be all we wanted to be. If we want to meet the

challenges of today, we cannot endlessly fight the battles of the

past. Scotland has moved on and we have to move on, too. And no vote

next year will not be about the no change. Scotland wants to change, it

needs to change. We are committed to helping deliver it. A Parliament

that is more accountable to the people of Scotland, a Scottish

government that cannot hide from its responsibilities, a Scotland that

stands on its own two feet but doesn't stand alone in the world.

Our constitutional meeting will bring forward proposals to improve

the current devolution settlement. I am pleased to confirm today that

they will be joined by representatives of Scotland'

business community, by the chairman of CBI Scotland and by the former

dean of the faculty of advocates. But independent advice being offered

by constitutional experts, our commission brings together a team of

people with a broad range of talents, expertise and experience.

Serious people for serious work. Work which will not only help chart

a new course for our party, but for our country. We need to find a

devolution settlement in Scotland that is stable and that meets the

aspirations of the Scottish people. If we secure a win next year, as we

are working to do, we cannot find ourselves back here again with

another referendum in five years time, in ten years time, in 15 years

time. It is time to resolve this, not just for our generation, but for

generations to come, and over the months ahead, the decisions we take

must lay the foundations for a stable and lasting settlement and

union between our formations. We will advance a set of clear,

Conservative proposals for a stronger, more accountable

responsible Scottish Parliament, serving a dynamic and self-confident

Scotland. Proposals that will have our future prosperity at their

core. We will pay a constructive part in decisions that are following

the referendum. But, as conservatives, we will never forget

that Scotland is future success does not lie in the hands of politicians

or political institutions, it rests where it always has, in the hands of

the people of Scotland. In your hands, in the hands of your

neighbours, your family, your friends. We live in a world where

some would say there are no longer any role models to look at it. That

is not true, I get to meet those role models every single day. They

are found on the factory floors across Scotland, in charities. They

are the nurses, teachers, farmers. The small businessmen and women who

are the lifeblood of our economy. The taxpayers of Scotland who paid

with the government and the services it supports. They are the millions

of Scots who go to work every day to provide for themselves and their

families and those, if they don't have a job, go out to look for one.

They are role models to be looked up to, they are decent, hard-working

community spirit at people of Scotland. These are the people whose

hard graft has built our past success and three whose efforts are

future will be achieved. They are the people whose hopes and dreams we

must strive to the bill. They were once the bedrock of our party'

support. Somewhere along the road, we lost touch with too many of them

and they lost trust in us. We are working day by day to rebuild that

trust, to burn their support once again. We are listening, we are

learning and as a party, we are changing. We are building a platform

of policies to meet the aspirations of the people of Scotland. Policies

that will put Scotland first and move Scotland forward. Scotland that

succeeds is a country where businesses can courage and generate

the jobs we need, creating the wealth to pay for our public

services, putting the wage packets in the pockets and purses of

Scotland's people. That is why we oppose the SNP policies of

increasing tax paid on empty shops and levying extra costs in our

retail sector. Piling on more tax to business is no way to encourage

investment. It is no way to support jobs in the private sector. It is

not higher taxes we need in Scotland, it is more taxpayers, more

Scots with secure, well-paid jobs, paying their way and providing for

themselves and families. It is not just Scotland's businesses that need

tax relief, it is the hard-working families, too. When we argue for

lower income tax for ordinary Scots, the SNP condemned us and

claim that it would cost the Scottish government money that they

cannot afford. That speaking about this, it wouldn't cost the Scottish

government a penny because it is not their money. If the hard earned

cash. -- is the hard earned cash of Scotland's taxpayers and it belongs

to them and they will spend it here, here where that spending will

help secure and generate sustainable Scottish jobs. The taxpayers of the

Scottish government must be used in only one way, to drive down the tax

burden in Scotland. We will take action to help businesses complete,

to take action to lower the tax burden for families but a truly

successful economy doesn't come from nothing. It comes from a well

educated, ambitious and aspirational people. Our passion must be to lead

a drive for excellence in our schools and to have an intolerance

of educational failure. A Scotland that succeeds is one of which every

child has an equal chance to get on in life, no matter their background.

The drastic example of Scotland's universities and colleges. Scotland

universities have a global reputation for excellence, both in

teaching and research and our colleges best understand the

changing needs and play a vital role in matching the means to local

committees. That sector is under attack by a power hungry SNP that is

intent on extending the control of the ministers. They are writing a

law proposing sweeping new powers for ministers over the management of

universities and colleges will stop new powers that threaten their

reputations. But it is worse than that, senior figures in Scottish

education mean they will see a radical shift in funding. Stripping

college funding from the very areas which need it most. The SNP seem

determined to run our college sector down and we will fight them every

step of the way. I will make this pledge to Scotland's colleges. The

Scottish Conservatives will continue to stand up for you and the vital

work that you do. But we need to understand something else,

conference, that are too many of Scotland's young people, the dream

of going to university or college is exactly that, a dream. That is why

we have to focus on where the highest prices paid for educational

underachievement, with disadvantaged children in underperforming schools.

No child, no child should be left isolated by law expectations, trial

by literacy, or left to a life of frustration and insecurity. More

schools across Scotland provide a good education for their skills and

most teachers do their best. There are many that are an inspiration to

the children that they teach. But that must not blind us to the

problems which do exist or to stop us from taking the steps necessary

to overcome failure when it is fine. In Glasgow, just eight cent of 50

pupils achieve five good higher grade passes. That is less than half

of the pass rates even Stirling. Across Scotland, only 13% of

Scotland's pupils reach this gold standard. Research shows that

children from disadvantaged families are behind those from better off

backgrounds by almost two years. Nearly one third of secondary

schools in Scotland's most deprived areas are either weak or

unsatisfactory, compared to one tenth in our least deprived

communities. We know there is a problem, but the question is whether

the Scottish Government is prepared to take the action to deal with it.

The signs are not promising. The SNP point smack -- the SNP's Education

Secretary claims, we do not have feeling skills in Scotland, we have

skills that are coasting. That sounds to me like a distinction

without a difference. It sounds like an unwillingness to face up to hard

facts because well first-class work is being done in many schools in

Scotland serving deprived areas, others are not just coasting, they

are feeling. They are failing their pupils and the communities that they

serve. It is a failure that we cannot tolerate. For too many, it is

the system that fails them, so the system must change. We are clear

that more choice and a greater diversity in the way that schools

operate should be the cornerstone of educational reform. The existing

structure of comprehensive education in Scotland holds too many pupils

back. It feels to reflect the individual needs and strengths.

Sometimes the most able are held back, and just as often, those that

need more help do not get it. We believe that pupils should have an

edge -- we believe that pupils should have an early opportunity to

decide what kind of educational path they follow. They should have the

opportunity to focus on areas where their talents best client which can

lead them into the most suitable and rewarding careers. By turning around

underperforming schools, it should mean considering other more radical

steps as well as. Choice is the greatest driver of excellence to

which we must aspire. We will give all parents a route to the better

education their children need. We will introduce an opportunity

voucher with the value equivalent to the cost of the child's education.

Some will say that this will undermine underperforming skills. I

think it says something else entirely. It would send the clearest

possible message to underperforming skills, improve the education that

you provide payments will vote with their feet and choose something

better their children. -- for their children. I reject the counsel of

despair about some skills simply cannot improve, but if they do not,

why should people served by then have to settle for that? The quality

of your education should not be decided by your bank balance or

where you live. Parents will have a choice over their children's

education that they have never had before. We should see educational

excellence for every Scottish trial. Scotland's future success demands it

and the Scottish Conservatives will settle for nothing less. More choice

for our young people over their future career parts, standing up for

universities and colleges, action to close Scotland's educational

attainment gap. Lifting the tax burden from families and businesses,

these policies for an aspirational and businesses, these are policies

for an aspirational unsuccessful Scotland. -- and successful

Scotland. For many Scots, it is not a question of getting on in life,

for too many it is difficult to keep pace. Jobs are less secure. An

implied mint is still too high. Scottish parents are facing some of

the highs childcare costs in Britain. For some it is like a

second mortgage. Getting onto the property ladder is getting harder.

The cost of living goes up at the size of the pay packet does not. For

too many, future success seems far out of reach because it is hard

enough coping with the realities of life day-to-day. That is why we know

that a Scotland which truly succeeds must be a Scotland were no one is

left hand. It must be a Scotland were those in need content and

getting the help they require. We will never lose sight of that fact,

that simple fairness. It is why wanting more -- it is why one can

make the click of a mention of Scotland's caterers. 660,000 Scots

actors unpaid carers. Some of them will be in this hall today. That is

a full one in eight of our population. Nearly a quarter of them

care for more than 50 hours a week. That is a full-time job for which

they receive no pay. It is estimated that carers save the Scottish NHS

�7.7 billion every single year. That is three quarters of the total NHS

budget in Scotland. 60% of killers are women and most have part-time

jobs or are unemployed. Nearly one third of all households with a

killer who care for another household member are in the most

deprived communities in Scotland. They give up work and forego their

own careers, often they give up much of life because it is simply

impossible to Mint in a balance between the demands of caring for a

loved one and their own leisure time. They do it out of love. --

maintained. Unpaid carers are the unsung heroes of communities.

Without their selfless sacrifice, the quality of health and care

services we enjoy as a nation would not exist. If we do not provide them

with the right support, many would be unable to carry on with their

caring responsibilities. As a country, we need to do more to

support them. We need to ensure that the rights of carers are

strengthened and the Scottish Conservatives will. If you are in

employment, you get paid holidays, but if you sacrifice your career to

care for a loved one and you often work longer hours than people with

jobs, you have no guarantee of any time off at all. Scotland's National

caterers organisations have identified the right to regular,

high-quality short breaks as the top trial date for caterers. -- as the

top priority for caterers. The research shows that most caterers

have not had a break lasting longer than two days. It is time that

Scotland's caterers are given the break that they need and deserve. --

carers. I promise that the Scottish Conservatives will give them that

break. Everyone in Scotland who provides more than 40 hours of care

each week will be entitled to feel weak part -- will be entitled to

feel weak's break each year. We will not allow the funding to be diverted

to other uses. It will be reserved for this specific purpose. Although

not every person would choose to take this break, every single person

assessed as an eligible will be guaranteed to do so. How they choose

to take that respite will be entirely up to them. They may use

the funding to get someone to provide killing cover for a full

week or for a series of short weekend breaks. They may take their

break at home matches to go away with the person that they care for.

The budget will be flexible so that the individual needs of each person

Ahmad. They may choose to have cover provided by their local council, or

by the private sector. The choice will be theirs to make, because they

know best what suits their circumstances, and how best they be

fulfilled. Scotland's caterers give so much and so selflessly, it is

time that they got the break that they need. Our guarantee will make

sure that they get that break, so that they continue to work and make

a vital contribution to our society. Conference, policies to help

Scottish businesses grow and create jobs, policies to give the next

generation the education that you need, and policies to help those

most in need. These are among the practical plans to help older

Scotland that succeeds. This is the Scottish Conservative Party that we

are building, a party in tune with our country, party that takes action

and the issues that matter most, a party that could Scotland first. And

when we say that we will put Scotland first, we mean all of the

people of Scotland, those who have made it in life, and more

importantly, those who have not made it yet, but those who want to and

need help. We're the party of freedom, and opportunity. We take

pride in our country's asked, but what drives us is a desire to build

a better future. The Scottish Conservatives want Scotland to

succeed and we will work for a Scotland that enjoys success that

everyone can sharing. It is a Scotland and a future worth

believing in. We know what needs to be done, let's get out there and do

it. Thank you. The Scottish Conservative leader,

Ruth Davidson, receiving a standing ovation from party members in the

Holland Stirling. She praised the UK Government and the type you

nationalise. She spoke about doping a modern Conservative Party. She

wanted an end to the independence question, and spoke about having an

accountable Scottish Parliament with low tax. There was a revolutionary

proposal for tax vouchers when it came to revert -- parental choice in

education. And of course, that break for caterers, party that could

Scotland first. Brian Taylor has just dashed back from the hollow to

the marquee. What did you make of that? Strolled

elegantly. Give us a quick response. What did

you make of that speech? She really socked it to the members, didn't

she? I think the intriguing thing is the

concatenation of two issues. She is saying that the drive of tax issues

should we to cut taxation. She is saying that a no vote in the

referendum next year, which she fervently hopes for and expects,

should not be no change, and in that context, she says that the changes

increasing the responsibility of the Scottish Parliament. She is saying

that you require the broader sweep of powers within the Scottish

Parliament, fiscal powers, tax powers, not in themselves, but in

order for the Conservatives to be able to argue credibly for a

reduction in spending agenda. She is pitting those two together. She is

putting them in a general framework at the moment, saying that the Lord

Strathclyde commission will look in detail at that. She announced some

new details on that. This is the issue that is causing disquiet. Some

are enthusiastic for that idea and some are hostile, they want to go no

farther. They want to go back to the days of the line in the sand that

Ruth Davidson previously spoke about. Some are sceptical. By

framing it and throwing out some promises of low taxes, she is hoping

to get them on board? Yes and trying to stress what it is about, it is

not about tax powers in order to suck the people, it is to try and

credibly offer a tax reducing agenda. I think she is trying to

make a conservative argument for change. It is very important that

she is saying that you try to win a referendum, she said you try to head

off independence issue almost altogether permanently on to do

that, she says you need to enhance the settlement that there is at

Holyrood. Professor John Curtice, you also listening to that, what you

make of it, it was a strong attempt to reassert authority? Yes, it was a

sandwich of a speech. She softened her speech with arguments against

Scotland becoming an independent country. Then came what frankly was

rather a dramatic passage. It was a very impassioned argument in favour

of increasing the taxation powers of the Scottish Parliament will stop

saying that in a sense, we do need to change the devolution settlement

in order to meet the aspirations of the Scottish public and the specific

acknowledgement that the existent settlement doesn't meet the

aspirations of that public. We then came to the other end of the

sandwich, having come to the rather uncomfortable meet in the middle,

which is, do they realise that if we have a more powerful Scottish cup

and then we can pursue some radical policies. She actually wishes to use

the tax powers in order to say that Scotland explicitly could have lower

taxes and the rest of the UK but she also went on to back the idea of

educational virtues. The idea that every parent in Scotland will be

given a piece of paper to say this is the cost of education of your

child, you can take that watcher and get any school in Scotland to take

that Boettcher and get educated. That is even more radical than the

free school scheme that Michael Gove is introducing the size of the

border. It is an indication, it is very radical in the sense that it is

conservative of her to be so passionately in favour of more

devolution but it is equally radical in saying that the kind of Scotland

we want is not part of the social democratic consensus. She wants to

put Scotland first but the Scotland she wants to put first is a very

traditional Conservative Scotland, rather than the social democratic

one. The UK education secretary Michael Gove was in Stirling

yesterday to gee up the troops during a rally for the union and he

started with some rather interesting football analogies. Thank you for

your warm welcome, it is my pleasure to be here among the many friends,

old and new, and a particular pleasure to be sharing a platform

with Andrew, with race and Annabel. I heard Annabel introducing Raith

earlier as our very own special one, but if there is a football manager

that Raith reminds me of, I am afraid it is not the Chelsea

manager. I think of Annabel as our excursion. Gritty, determined, a

winner, a world beater, respected everywhere for her passion and

effectiveness. You have done a fantastic job and it is always a

pleasure to share a stage with someone who has been as successful

and determined and greater Scotland as you have been. If you are so Alex

Ferguson, Ruth, that makes you David Moyes. You either handpicked

successor, drawn from the same stable with all of the same

virtues, great expectations lie on your shoulders but we all know,

given the amazing things you have already achieved, that you will be,

and have been, a fantastic voice for Scottish conservatism and I have

every confidence that under your leadership, we will go from strength

to strength whenever any challenge faces us, so congratulations on your

leadership so far. We are going to win the referendum next year on

Scotland place in the United Kingdom. We are going to win because

it is Scottish Conservatives who put forward the most coherent, the most

compelling, the most convincing case for our United Kingdom over the

years. When it comes to that momentous day next year, when people

vote, as I am convinced they will, to keep this kingdom united because

we are better together, it will be our victory. It has been our party

that has argued the Unionist case and didn't for years and it is our

party that is arguing the Unionist case with greater passion than ever

before. We will work hard over the months to come but look forward to

that day because I am certain that we will be able to celebrate a great

victory, a, for partridges, for Britain and it will be a victory in

which you will have been fit soldiers who entered that our

victory would have been decisive. Alex Salmond 's thinks that next

year will be the date pregnant with significance. He thinks somehow that

at 700-year-old anniversary will start Scottish hearts. I am sure it

will but next year is the anniversary of so much more, is also

the anniversary of the First World War when English, Scottish, Irish

and Welsh soldiers stood together to defend our freedoms and next year,

of course, will also be the anniversary, the 70th anniversary of

D-Day. When this country liberated Europe from totalitarianism.

Scottish, British, Irish, United under the United Kingdom flag,

determined to overcome tyranny, determined to stand up for liberty.

That is woven into who I am and Alex Salmond wants to read that aren't.

That is not let him. -- let us not let him. He also took time out to

talk to article correspondent, Glen Campbell. Is a boat for independence

the only way that Scots can get the government they want? Of course

not, they can get that in Holyrood I boating for whatever party they

believe is the right person to believe that. They can also ensure

their voice is heard more effectively in Westminster by

ensuring they send someone to the UK Parliament who can stand up strongly

for their interests. Scots voted SNP for Holyrood and they got an SNP

Scottish government, they would Labour by and large for Westminster

and they got a Tory Lib Dem coalition, isn't that the definition

of the democratic deficit? If you look at the legitimacy if you are

purely looking at votes cast, then it one United Kingdom election at

the time. Of course, if you want Labour, vote Labour. There are

difficult decisions that will have to be taken at the next general

election and one of them will be whether or not we want to stick with

David Cameron and the coalition' approach of reducing the deficit,

making sure our welfare system is reformed and also making sure that

we can eat a country more competitive. We'll be turning our

back on that if we vote Labour but that is a choice that Scots,

English, Welsh and Northern Irish voters will choose. The one thing we

agree on is that whatever party want Scotland to take, that will ensure

Scotland is stronger if it remains -- remains in United Kingdom.

really important to recognise that the welfare reforms we are putting

forward are various popular in Scotland. There are some antique

voices on the left but actually, the majority of Scots have had it up to

here with people who have been claiming welfare who are not

entitled to it. We need to ensure that the welfare state works for

hard-working people and that means we need to crack down on those

people who do not deserve benefits and ensure that those people, the

disabled, the elderly, the genuinely needy get the support they need.

Labour are going to cut benefits for pensioners, reducing the winter fuel

payments for pensioners, it is the Conservatives who will make sure

that those people who have paid into the welfare state get the benefits

they deserve. Alex Salmond argues that independence would ally the

Scottish parliament and government to take Scotland in a different

direction, to try and preserve some of the social protection that we

have at the moment that he says you are destroying? He would take

Scotland in a different direction, Scotland would have two apply all

over again to join in. He would say that he is trying to keep Scotland

in the European Union while some in your party by those who propose a

referendum and would vote no. doesn't have a leg to stand on

because he doesn't have legal advice on this issue and we know the

European Union have said to him, if Scotland's needs, it will not be the

success of state that remains in the European Union, it will have two ask

to come in. He also knows that he would lose jobs because he once any

Scotland. It would also mean that he would lose the strength that comes

from having the Bank of England underpinning all our natural

institutions so Scotland would become a career as a result of

independence. He might want to shore up these benefits but he won't have

the resources that being in the UK provides. Adult independence is a

vote for a pure Scotland. In terms of the EU, do you think the European

Union would allow Scotland to end up outside? Absolutely, there is

absolutely no guarantee that Scotland, it left the UK, could stay

in the European Union. Look at what has been said by European

Commissioners. The legal position is perfectly clear, if Scotland that

the UK, it would also be leaving the European Union will stop it would

have to ask over again it was to enter. I own view is, we are better

off in a reformed European union. I am afraid that anyone who thinks can

have your cake eat it that you can read up the United Kingdom and stay

in European union, only needs to look at what Europe is saying.

Let's go back to near the main hall where the Scottish Conservative

Party leader Ruth Davidson has made her way to our camera point. You

were keen to praise the UK government and criticise the

Scottish government but as Unionists tend to do, pick the point that an

independent Scotland could survive on its own, so what is wrong with

independence? The point I made is that I am ambitious for Scotland, I

don't just want Scotland to survive. I want a Scotland but will

flourish in the world and I think that is best achieved through the

United Kingdom. We can go through all the economic arguments but I was

also talking today of arguments of the heart. Highly feeling we can be

Scottish and English, hi we want to hold onto our British identity, that

part that feels a closeness with her friends and family but that doesn't

mean we don't put Scotland first. We are making a full-blooded support

and cry to keep Scotland in the United Kingdom. Looking at the

economic arguments as well. You have not had your problems to seek over

the past week or so over the proposals for further devolution. In

the sand has been firmly washed away. It was interesting what you

were saying to the members, using the promise of a low tax almost as

red meat to the traditional Tories who might be scared of your

proposals? We talked about lowering the tax burden on families and

businesses in Scotland for some time because that is what we want to do.

We are right of centre party, we believe but small effective

government. In terms of talking about our future contribution to the

constitutional debate, I have set up a commission under Lord

Strathclyde. I announced to Commissioners that will join that

from the world of business. They will be joining the work of Annabel

Goldie and Alex Ferguson, supported by the constitutional experts. These

are a serious group of people taking seriously at how we can best create

a devolved settlement because the last thing I want is, if we succeed

next year, we find ourselves back on the situation in five years time

with another referendum and another. We need to find a devolved

settlement that is modern and sits all of the UK and that will last

into the future. We had open question Time session so that people

could ask about the constitution if they wanted. In terms of unofficial

debate, you have got to have an official motion and concrete

proposals. We will take the concrete proposals that our commission brings

back to us to our members. At the moment, their work is not complete

and we will let them go on with that. This is a substantial

commission that is doing serious work. Where you are running scared

in case the leadership were defeated on this, if there had been a proper

motion? I saw one tweet from one conservative supporters saying that

route is tacking towards devo max? Absolutely not. I have made it clear

that I will not tie the hands of Lord Strathclyde. I want rigorous

analysis of how we can have a more stable united kingdom. We should not

find yourself in a situation where there is one referendum after

another. In terms of inviting contributions from our party, the

party is invited to make contributions to the commission, so

we want the voice of the party to be heard. We have wide-ranging views

across the Conservative Party. We want to see all of the views, but we

want the commission to do serious work. We wanted to come back away

from the seat of the trench warfare we in at the moment, and come back

with proper, sensible, rigorous analysis of situation, and how we

can have that stable solution going forward. It is interesting how you

speak about the pre-devilish and is in the party. You're quite firm with

the party members. You wonder the members that they cannot live in the

past. Do you feel that these people are dragging the party down?

Absolutely not and I do not appreciate people putting words in

my mouth. As a party we have had to change. We are changing. Sometimes

change can be difficult, but our role as the only centre-right, the

only credible centre-right voice in Scotland, is to put forward an

economic and social agenda with it -- which meets the aspirations of

the people of Scotland. We know that the people of Scotland like devolved

government. It is the settled will of the people. We want to see this.

Finally, is the appeal of the Conservative Party is still more to

the counties set rather than the city set? We are a party that wants

to speak to people from all walks of life in all parts of Scotland. We

were speaking today about educational and aspirational

benefits. We are fighting for the college sector and carers. Carers

live in every community in Scotland and they are the bedrock of those

communities. The work they do service -- save so much money from

the budget of health care in Scotland so that we can all enjoy a

better service across Scotland because of the work that they do. We

are the only centre-right voice in Scotland, and mainstream political

party, and we want to be heard in every town across the country.

Carers was one of your key policy announcements. There is also a

radical approach to education. Can you explain more about that, it

would seem that you were saying that you would give parents vouchers so

that they could move their children out of failing schools? Where does

that leave the filling skill? accept that there are some skills in

our country which are not performing as well as they might? Do we buy the

discussion from the SNP's education minister that we do not have schools

that fail in Scotland, we just have one sitter coasting? That his

failure by another male name. -- that is failure by another name.

This is about giving parents the choice to send their children to

school that is performing better in the area. We hope that this will

raise the educational attainment in the country. It sounds like you were

proposing an end to the comprehensive system of education in

Scotland. The women whose -- that the woman to close grammar schools

in Scotland was Margaret Thatcher. She kept Jordanhill in my

constituency. It is interesting that she was not mentioned that your

conference. Many in your party would see Howard as the greatest

Conservative leader ever, apart from Winston Churchill? At the time of

her death, it was sad for people within the party. Many of the

members in Scotland went to her funeral at St Paul's Cathedral. I

was privileged to be able to attend. We had a full debate in the Scottish

Parliament regarding not just her death, but also her legacy, how she

changed the face of not just Scotland but the whole of the UK.

For me, her biggest legacy was the work she did in Eastern Europe,

bringing the end of communism, being the first Western leader to go and

speak to the Unionist leader in Poland. She was a real world leader.

When she passed we honour her memory and the time is now to look to the

future. OK. We have a decision to make in 14 months time. We have to

make the right decision. Thank you for joining us. Thank you.It was

not just the Scottish troops being rallied for the battle ahead

yesterday. The leader of the Welsh Conservatives was pledging Celtic

support from farther afield. What is needed in the independence debate is

to make sure that we map out what a bright, hopeful future for the 21st

century holds for a united kingdom, strong in its belief and purpose,

recognising, yes, that there are differences between us, but

ultimately, what holds us together is the belief in the common good

that we are better as one, stronger as one, and above all, that force

for good that has dominated for 300 years, driving across the seas, the

trade that has enriched our communities, stood up for the

persecuted in all parts of the globe, as Michael said, make Stewart

are so many anniversaries to be celebrated, from D-Day to the First

World War. Ultimately, we have got to be driving the old turn it of

narrative to Alex Salmond's poison that is the independence argument.

The United Kingdom cannot and must not be allowed to slip through our

fingers. We need to preserve it for future generations, so that they can

share in the historical perspective of disparity and security that our

generation and previous generations have enjoyed. But we must not allow

anyone to sleep walk over the precipice, and that is why I go back

to my opening remarks of how important it is to energise people

outside the political classes, and outside the normal fraternity who

would like to engage in debate. This is a debate for everyone in Scotland

to determine the future, but above all, to determine Armas is now to

independence when the referendum day comes. We will wake up with that

resonating across the airwaves, so that Scotland, Wales, England and

Northern Ireland go forward as one United Kingdom, furthering the 21st

century as one strong economic entity, better for the people, and

better for this great country of ours. Thank you very much for

listening. The leader of the Welsh Conservatives. John Curtice is with

me in the studio. We are about to go live to Alistair Darling speaking to

the Better Together fringe event. He is not quite attending a

Conservative conference, but this is fairly unprecedented, to have a

former Chancellor and Labour MP speaking in this proximity? It is

certainly unusual. In the recent past, we have seen Liberal Democrats

turning up to Labour conferences and vice versa. In the wake of the

coalition, we have seen Liberal Democrats at Conservative

conferences and vice versa, but this is relatively unusual. One of the

reasons why the Conservatives are looking forward to this referendum,

particularly Scottish Conservatives, is that there are anticipating that

for once they are going to be on the winning side. Ruth Davidson has been

reminding them that they have had a substantial history of failure since

1997, and arguably back to the 1960s, when they have been in

decline from. They think they're going to be on the winning side is

part of a wider coalition with Labour and the Liberal Democrats.

The opinion polls suggest that it is a three to two majority in favour of

the no side. That may change but it is one reason that you can predict

that Alistair Darling will get a rather warm reception, because for

once, this is a chance for the Conservatives to cheer about

something. How do the public view this? You always get the impression

that people like the idea of politicians working together. And

the yes campaign, we have politicians working together and

this is another example of that. Some party activists view the idea

with horror. Annabel Goldie, the former Scottish Conservative Party

leader, is now introducing Alistair Darling live at the event. Would you

like to stand up? CHEERING

Just to reassure you, these are real people! It is with great pleasure

that I am going to ask Alistair Darling to addresses. In case you're

feeling isolated among these Conservatives, there may be a

friendly spirit looking down and you benignly. Your great uncle was a

Conservative MP for Edinburgh South. APPLAUSE

Thank you very much. Thank you for your warm welcome. One

of the things that struck me over the last three years, since I

stepped back from frontline politics, is just how nice your

political opponents are about Unite -- once they are absolutely sure

that you're not coming back. Whether or not my great uncle is looking

down on me, I do not know, and I shall resist the 10th nation to make

the point that my great uncle was indeed a Conservative then he, in

the days that the Tories still did win seats in a row.

APPLAUSE I think he would have been on my

side of the argument. We have been setting up Better Together groups

right across Scotland. Last week I launched the Better Together

campaign in Stornoway. If you're wondering where the suntan came

from, it was from Stornoway last week. I am putting my plug-in for

the Western Isles to this board. The islands are drenched in sun at the

moment, as opposed to the things that normally drench them at this

time of year. There is a groundswell of public support for the campaign

that we are running. Perhaps the film that you have just seen, which

is part of what we are trying to do to convince people about the

strength of the UK, the institutions and the values that underpin it,

demonstrate why it is so important, because in many ways, what our armed

forces have done for us over the last 100 years in two world wars,

and what they are still doing for us in Afghanistan today, facing great

dangers, they are doing that as part of the United kingdom and in many

ways it is a potent symbol of what we are doing. I want to see one

other thing, Better Together was set up with the support of the three

parties in Scotland that support the case first thing in the UK, but we

are separate from it, and deliberately so, because we want to

attract people that are not allied to any particular party. Some people

would feel uncomfortable about having a reserve pinned to their

lapel but you still want to be part of it. I want to acknowledge the

work of my colleagues who did a lot of work in helping us get off the

ground, and has contributed to our councils and considerations. I hope

that everybody will reflect on how much she has achieved, not just for

Better Together but in relation to public service in Scotland. There

are three powerful reasons why I believe that we are better and

stronger together as part of the United Kingdom. The first obviously

is about jobs. As part of the single market of 60 million people, there

are Scots firms and individuals who produce goods and sell services ride

across the UK without any difficulty whatsoever. They don't have to worry

whether there customer is in Stirling or Somerset, Edinburgh,

Manchester, there is no difficulty whatsoever. At a time when the world

is getting smaller and we are seeing increasingly flows of goods and

services right across the world, why on earth would your starting point

at this most turbulent economic time, one to put barriers between

Scots businesses here and customers in other parts of the UK? It is

worth bearing in mind that we sell four times as much to the UK as we

do to Europe, it is a very, very important market for us. When it

comes to a situation now where there is so much uncertainty and

turbulence, I believe we should do everything we possibly can in order

to enhance the opportunities of getting jobs, not just for our

generation but those who come after us. The argument in relation to jobs

is overwhelming, in my view. The second reason is the influence we

have. Take the European Union for example. I know from having attended

ministerial councils for over 13 years that it is the big countries

in Europe that call the shots. Some people may say that is not fair but

as a matter of fact, if you want anything done in the European Union,

you need to have a big country alongside you and that this

important because there are huge aspects of life in Scotland,

farming, fishing, where that influence is very important to us,

including issues that affect the whole country like the rebate and so

on. The other reason after the economy and influence we have which

is of equal importance and should never underplay, that is the

emotional ties between us and the rest of the UK. Earlier this week we

set up the Better Together campaign in London and we did that because

Scots people living in London, they may not have the vote but they have

a voice. What we heard there time and time again is that people living

there who may not live in Scotland at the moment but care passionately

about their country, my guess is there are many here today who feel

passionately about being Scottish but also care equally passionately

about being British. I really do not see why I should have to choose

between them. I want to be both. I don't think the Olympics changed

anything last year, but they did, though, was to bring to the surface

what was there all along, a feeling that most of us have in Scotland,

but we can see that there is something more than the sum of the

parts, something bigger. We are fiercely proud of being British as

well as Scottish. That emotional argument manages -- matters to us.

We should never ever underplay that. The economy, our influence and that

emotional tie that makes the UK what it is is something that is very

powerful. This is a different campaign to the one that most of you

are used to fighting. In the general election, what happens is, you

thought the government in and if you don't like them, you can vote them

out and that is it. This campaign is different because remember this, the

Nationalists only need to win one by one vote and after that, there is no

going back. Nothing will be the same again. That is why it is important

that not only do we win this referendum campaign, but we win it

well. It is also why I am not going to be put off being asked questions

of the nationalist case. When you ask questions of nationalists, they

say it is scaremongering. What actually scaremongering means is,

you have asked Alex Salmond a question to which he does not know

the answer! The reason that we are entitled to ask these questions is

because of anyone came to you and said, I have a proposition that will

change your life forever and nothing will be the same again, you are

entitled to say, tell me why? Dodger argument stack up? If you look at in

the last 12 months, we have gone from a situation where Alex Salmond

and many other commentators invited you to believe this was an

inevitable process, there was no going back, to a situation where you

cannot say that today, when people have more and more died. There is

hardly a day goes by when people don't have died but what the

Nationalists have been saying. It started out in a sober when it

turned out a legal advise the Nationalists had had said nothing

would change if we voted for independence. What did we find, then

never was that legal advice. It strikes at their credibility. What

they said was not true. If you take the critically important issue of

the currency. They cannot guarantee to keep the pound. They know that

people in Scotland want to keep the pound. They also know that in their

anxiety to reassure people, they have got themselves into a real bind

over trying to enter into a currency union with the rest of the UK. If

you have a currency union, there are two things that have to happen. One

is, the other side had to agree to it and nobody has actually asked the

other side and already the first Minister of Wales said he doesn't

want anything to do with it. The Chancellor of the Exchequer has also

cast doubt on that. Even if he got agreement, there would be terms and

conditions and you don't need to speculate about this. Look at what

is going on in the Eurozone every week. You get terms and conditions

which you may not like. You would not want to be in a position in

Scotland with independence and no representation in the House of

Commons. It would then find itself in a position where it would have

terms and conditions acceded to it by a foreign country and that would

just be as questionable to me. The whole thing has just simply not been

thought through. There is another thing about currency unions, look

what happens in Europe, a tiki inevitably to increased economic

union and then ultimately, to political union. Why would you go to

the UK, only to end up in almost the same situation as before, except

that you would not have the voice that we have at the present time?

That doesn't seem to make any sense at all. It is no wonder that many

Nationalists themselves are not saying, why not launch our own

currency? All I can say is, at a time like this when we have the most

obvious economic uncertainty probably in history, to launch a new

currency, that would be what they call in yes Minister, courageous!

There are other questions, too, in relation to pensions. The fact we

would have to fund Scottish schemes completely now rather than rely on

the cross-border subsidy. In relation to energy, I would never

argue that Scotland couldn't go it alone but I do argue that to be

dependent on 20% of your tax revenues from one source, North Sea

oil, which inevitably will diminish over time, seems unwise. Look at

what happened to this country but was still heavily dependent on the

financial services when the crash came in 2008, it's made a huge hit

to our public dances. Take renewable energy, it only exists because of

the UK subsidy. We in Scotland pay 10% into that subsidy and we get a

third the benefit back. Does anybody honestly think that a separate rest

of the UK would take the same view if Scotland was a foreign country? I

cannot understand the logic that the Nationalists might try and advance

saying we will join NATO after a lifetime of being against it because

it makes sense to pull your resources but the one country with

which we have a close bond, we want to break our forces that it doesn't

make any sense. These are issues that we have two look at. The last

point I want to make to you is this, I said that this referendum

campaign is different from an election campaign and the stakes

could not be higher. There is another thing that is different,

this campaign still has another 17 months to go. His opinion polls are

all very nice and encouraging, I am sure you know what it is like to be

away ahead of the polls, it must be a great feeling for you! But there

is a long, long way to go and we need everyone and I mean everyone,

whether in a political party or not, he believes in the case were staying

in the UK, to make that case. We need every single vote in this time

it is not just the vote in key marginals, it is the boats in every

single part of Scotland. That is what makes it such a big campaign

and that is why we need your help. I am confident that may come in this

case. -- that we can win this case. Alex Salmond wants 16 and

17-year-olds on the ballot paper. Quite simply, because he thought

that young people would put the SNP. It was a cold critical calculation.

What is increasingly obvious and you solid in the pool last weekend, on

the very large majority of young people in Scotland, they can see

that there is something eager. They are proud of being Scottish and

pride of things in Scotland and rightly so but they say there is

something bigger than that. We are part of the UK that is bigger than

the sum of its parts. It was an Englishman who established the

welfare state, a Welshman who established the NHS, a Scotsman who

founded the Bank of England. The point is, we have not just a

powerful history behind us, but we have a huge opportunity and

potential in front of us and I think we can do that by being better and

stronger as part of the United Kingdom. I do very much.

Still in the studio is Professor John Curtice, interesting to see an

emphasis on identity from Alistair Darling. One of the interesting

themes in the last few days is that all of them are emphasising this

idea that we accept people in Scotland feel strongly Scottish but

they also feel British. Trying to suggest to people, do you wish to

leave the United Kingdom? This is interesting in the sense that

research suggests for many people, they have a strong sense of Scottish

myth but also Britishness and for that reason, but emotional tie of

Britishness still seems to make them reluctant to vote for independence.

The no campaign seems to be drawing on that and it is almost as though

question on the ballot paper is officially, it should Scotland be an

independent country? One of the problems the yes side may have is

that in practice, the question people are answering -- asking is,

do I want Scotland to leave the UK. As long as the people can focus on

that question, the yes side are going to have some difficulty.

us pick up on the Prime Ministerspeech to conference

yesterday which was a rallying cry for the Scottish Conservatives to

stand square behind the union and fight for its preservation.

Thank you Ray much. -- very much. My friends, we have got some huge

battles coming up. Not just for our party, but for our country. For

Scotland, for Britain. 2014, saving our United Kingdom. 2015, giving

Britain the Conservative government she needs. 2016, giving Scotland the

strong Conservative alternative she deserves. As we fight this battle

is, there are two things we must always remember. First, we will

always succeed if we are in touch and in tune with modern Scotland. In

Ruth Davidson, you have the ideal leader. She was not born into the

Conservative party, she chose it. She understands that to win, we have

got to be a party for all of Scotland, a party focused on

securing Scotland's' place in a strong UK, yes, but not afraid to

see how devolution can be improved. A party for the city as much as for

the country. For the Young as much as for the old. Northerners in

Glasgow as much as the farmer in Borders, that is what she stands for

and I back her every step of the way. Second, we will only win these

battles if we are clear about our values. Being a modern party does

not mean throwing away what it means to be a conservative. But it does

mean showing people how our values chime with theirs. There are

millions of people across Scotland to think exactly like we do. That if

you work hard and do the right thing, you should be rewarded, not

punished, that everyone should have the opportunity to rise as high as

their talents allowed, that strong families are the bedrock of a strong

society, that the foundations of good government or send money and

strong defence, that we should look after those who cannot help

themselves. As I said on that first day, those who can shoot, those who

cannot, we always help. These are conservative values and the Scottish

values as well. So, my friends, let us get out there and fight for them

with all we have got. There is no doubt with this party stands on the

union. The full square behind it. But we have not shied away from that

referendum debate. Scotland elected the Nationalist government at

Holyrood. That government wanted a referendum, so we said, OK, let's

have that referendum, and let's make it one question, yes or no, in the

right. We said we are better together as one economy with a

shared currency. Alex Salmond said no, let's go separate ways and keep

the pound. How is that going to work? Has Alex Salmond not seen what

has been happening in Europe over the last few years? You cannot make

a currency work without a political union. We said that we are better

together to protect jobs in Scotland's defence industry? Alex

Salmond said we were scaremongering. But what is the evidence? There are

12,000 people employed in Scotland by defence companies, backed by a

defence budget that is the fourth-largest the world. Make no

mistake, our United Kingdom protect Scottish jobs. We said our banking

system is better together. Again, Alex Salmond said no. Listen to

this. Cyprus' banking system was seven times the size of its economy.

Iceland's banking system was maintained the size of its economy.

I do not have to remind you what happened there. Do you know how big

Scotland's banking system would be if we separated? It would be 12

times the size of the Scottish economy. Let me say that again

slowly. Scotland's banks would be 12 types -- Scotland's banks would be

12 times the size of the economy. You cannot have banks that are too

big to fail, so I say that is another argument why we are better,

safer and more prosperous together. The good thing about this debate is

that it is not just conservatives that are saying this, it is people

all over Scotland. We have even got Alistair Darling coming to this

conference to say we are better off together, and I have got to say my

friends, that when one of your conference darlings as a Labour MP,

you know you're onto something. This is not just about the cold hard

facts. It goes much deeper than that. This is about the future of

our island, the next chapter in our story. It is about what we feel in

our Hearts. The history of the United Kingdom has always been one

of shared endeavour, proud in individual identities, but working

together for the common good. We saw it when our soldiers fought together

under one flag on the beaches of Normandy. We saw it when doctors

came together to build their NHS. We sat in the scientific breakthroughs

that we have made together, from the television to penicillin. We saw it

last summer, when athletes from around Britain trip themselves in

one flag. There is so much more still to come. There is no challenge

that we face today were breaking up Britain is the right answer. The

future I see for Scotland as part of a dynamic, enterprising,

compassionate written. A Britain that is not just competing in the

global race but winning in the world. A country where we are not

dividing up a deficit, but cutting it. A country where we are creating

jobs, and fixing welfare, not doubling the problem by splitting

up. A country where we are sitting aspiration free, not crushing it for

no reason. A country where we are pulling together, not pulling apart.

United we are unbeatable. The case is unquestionable. So let its -- let

us say it again, we will fight for our United kingdom every step of the

party faithful yesterday. Let's go back to Brian Taylor who is joined

by some key players in the Scottish Conservative Party.

Yes, it is a nutritious Conservative sandwich. QMS peas and in the

middle, the party chairman. Thank you for joining us. Margaret

Mitchell, it is no surprise that they are in favour of the union. But

we're not getting the detail on whether there should be further

powers or enhancement of the union. I do not think there should be

further powers. I think the powers within the Scotland act,

particularly for the 10p tax, should we looked at. There is a vacuum at

the heart of Scottish politics. Now we're in a position where have no

one to vote for that does not favour more powers. There is no evidence of

this anyway. The people of Scotland have never been consulted on this

question. This massive transfer of powers under the Scotland act. It is

politicians and academics talking to themselves, and some of the media.

Should this subject have been debated on the conference floor?

think there was an opportunity missed. We had two very good French

meetings, very well attended, with excellent points raised. It is a

shame we did not promoted. Margaret Mitchell is sceptical about this,

let alone further powers. mistake that Margaret makes is

adopting the Calman report. It was in the Conservative Party manifesto

at the last election. The people of Scotland quite clearly endorsed what

was set out in the Calman report. It is very important that the

Conservatives at the heart the constitutional debate. I respect her

position, it is a long held view and there are other people who hold that

view. Others have a different view. That is why we have set up Lord

Strathclyde's commission. We are looking for a better settlement for

Scotland. Is it the diversity of viewpoints that explains why there

was not a debate on the floor of the conference? There was lots of

discussion about this conference. People have specific views and the

powers. People need to engage with the commission and make the

arguments in that environment. What the commission puts forward will

come back to Conservative conferences in the future to be

debated and there will be an opportunity on specific issues to

debate. Is that reassuring, that there will be an opportunity for

debate? Yes, but there could have been a debate in the conference

which would have informed the commission. It would have been an

excellent start because although it is an manifesto, lots of things in

manifesto and people are not necessarily voting for one aspect of

it when they endorse that manifesto. You stood on a platform

of transforming the Conservative Party when you stood for the

readership. Where do you stand now on this idea of more powers? You

heard Chris Davidson speaking about responsibility and the

Conservatives? I am delighted that the party has made some movement on

this issue. It has always seemed to me that if we create a Scottish

Parliament we need to make it financially responsible. How is it

accountable, Margaret Mitchell is disputing that? There is no

responsibility on the part of the Scottish finance minister to concern

himself with the size of the tax take the size of the Scottish

economy, to try and promote businesses to increase the revenue

that comes in. This would give the Scottish finance minister and his

colleagues more of a stake in the strength of the Scottish economy.

You would be I doing, like Ruth Davidson, for driving down

taxation? That would always be our direction of travel is

Conservatives. We want to make savings in government to reduce the

tax burden on people, bringing in greater tax powers to Hollywood.

That would give us an opportunity that was not there before. I am not

a great fan of Twitter, but one has been drawn to my attention. The

Scottish Tory conference starts tomorrow, all that lighting, axe

stabbing and graphic sex, it is just like game of thrones, but with

dragons. Is there any mischiefmaking going on? I'm quite crisp -- I am

quite fond of game of thrones. I am not sure there are many parallels.

Is there any plotting or backstabbing going on towards the

leader? I do not think so, seriously. Certainly none that I am

doing. There is some concern in the party. Margaret has articulated.

There is concern about the change of direction and the Constitution. I

think that is the right thing to do. I think this has caused some

concern. I am hoping that as Lord Strathclyde and his commission do

their work, we can bring people on board. Annabel Goldie said that

those who were criticising the reader where I'm -- whether

incontinent Chihuahuas in search of a lamp post. What about this

muttering among the leadership? Do you think it is substantial? I have

my DVD of game of thrones. I am enthralled. I am looking forward to

seeing that. The backstabbing or the graphic sex? It is quite a menu. I

have never beat at -- I have never been at the Conservative conference

weather has not been some sort of nice about the leadership. It is par

for the course. If people have serious criticisms, they should read

them on the record. I do not like to read about and named people saying

one thing or another. The parliament is already navelgazing over the

constitutional question. The last thing that anyone wants is us

navelgazing over leadership. We should move on and we should not

muddy the water and cans of looking at this particular policy and

anyone's view on it. In some ways, you could say that the coming of age

of a leader is when they are criticised, as they all inevitably

are. Ruth Davidson was speaking about education vouchers. It is a

return to a policy that was suggested for. What do you make of

it? Nursery vouchers were very popular and work well. This is an

interesting idea to break the local government monopoly. The devil will

be in the detail but the general direction is welcome. I think it is

very important that Ruth Davidson was speaking about issues like

skills and carers. They are a big group in Scottish society. That is

what the public want, to hear the detail of policies. The key thing

about both these policies, is that we are addressing areas that people

who are disadvantaged, people who are suffering are concerned about.

There is all this nonsense that the Conservative Party is only a party

for the better off. This would help those from less well-off backgrounds

that are trapped by the current system. This would also help carers,

many of whom are in a difficult situation. Professor John Curtice is

still here. Unusual support their fourth game of thrones, I think it

is based on horrific event in Scottish history. Conservatives in

some turmoil at the moment but interesting to hear Margaret

Mitchell, she is not convinced by Ruth Davidson. There clearly is a

segment of the party for him Margaret Mitchell was the ticket

spokesman there but they feel in a sense it is a Unionist party and up

party that should be maximising the power of Westminster rather than

Holyrood. David made the comment which is that this is not just a

process whereby the Conservative party has its own internal debate

and eventually resulted. They then wanted to get to the other parties

and have a dialogue with them. Given that the Liberal Democrats are at

various stages of the debate about devolution, it is almost beginning

to sound as though the option that isn't going to be on the ballot

paper because the UK government said it shouldn't be on the ballot

paper, some idea of more devolution. We may reach a situation where there

seems to be agreement between the three Unionist parties for actually

more devolution. All of them saying, if you don't know, that is what

you're going to get. It is an interesting and paradoxical turn of

events. The former Scottish Conservative leader Annabel Goldie

has been listening to Alistair Darling' speech. She joins us now

live from the conference. Unusual to see a former Labour Chancellor

addressing a Conservative Party. Any disquiet that a Labour man is there?

Absolutely not. The warmth of the reception underlined not just the

respect in which Alistair is held as he leads the Better Together

campaign but also underlined the widespread commitment to fighting

under this banner to keep Scotland within the UK. He got a very warm

reception and he spoke extremely well and people were joined shoulder

to shoulder in this campaign to stop independence and keep Scotland

remaining in the UK, they thought it was a positive event and very much

appreciated his remarks. Rather odd bedfellows. Ruth Davidson was

criticising Labour in her speech for leaving the UK without structural

deficit and then up pops the man who, as she in her words, thought

caused it. I made the point when I introduced him that of course he and

I will have a capacity of issues which we have passionate differences

of opinion, that is absolutely right and to be expected, but what happens

when it comes to a single issue about the constitutional future of

Scotland, the security of Scotland, the stability of Scotland,

protecting the best of Scotland, that is an issue on which,

regardless of political differences, Alistair Darling and I and our

parties and everybody else who believes that Scotland should remain

in the UK, stand shoulder to shoulder. You are used to the

travails of leadership and not wanted you make of the critics of

Ruth Davidson as one rather famous quote that seemed to be doing the

round that you mentioned last night? I was making a point that serial

monitors are part and parcel of political life for every political

leaders. I have had to put up with it, it is just something that you

have to grin and bear. She is doing a splendid job, she has done a mind

and of works and of work since he took over as leader in Scotland. She

has transformed the party, she has made it fit for purpose for

campaigning on a 21st-century and the one thing that really struck me

about this conference was, and I noticed that everywhere I went, the

number of young people attending this conference and I think that is

to regulate down to read the' ability to recharge to an age group

that is so in Portland and was last in touch with that decade ago.

Talking about opponents to Ruth Davidson 's view, we have heard from

Margaret Mitchell, is she at serial burglar, as you put it, when she is

opposed? There Israel concern in the party following this route. There is

an issue between comment on genuine issues of policy and politics and

those people that just yap at healers and try to do stabilise. My

comments were intended to brief anonymously. It is unforgivable and

what was clear in the conference that Ruth Davidson was warmly

supported and enthusiastically supported. You only had to look at

the reception she received her speech today to know that she is

highly prized and highly regarded. What I was observing earlier on in

the conference was that as we unite the party behind our leader to face

the most serious challenge that Scotland has encountered for many

years, that it is absolutely vital that we are all focused on meeting

that challenge and not bickering amongst ourselves. Of course there

can always be legitimate discussion about policy, that is healthy. There

is a world of difference between that of people who smoke anonymously

and trying to be destabilising and there is no place for that. Is

completely unhelpful. You think your own party will be better together?

My own party in Scotland is in very good heart, I am absolutely thrilled

with the way she is leading it. She is providing energy and vibrancy and

is giving the party ship and a future. She is offering vision and

you only had to listen to her speech today to know that she has a plan

and a purpose and a future. She is absolutely the right person to lead

the party to that future. Let us hear what the Holyrood press pack is

made of Ruth Davidson 's speech. Let us talk about leadership. Ruth

Davidson 's leadership is secure, has any of the morning and bickering

come your way? Given it was written in the papers that they were killers

of hope for the leadership but it failed. I think it is unfortunate

that you come into a conference 18 months in and people are talking

about your leadership skills. largely among people in the group

who are running leadership group battle. The MS group did not support

Ruth Davidson for a leader. I think she probably has reasonable support

within the party grasp its but the other group is a problem for her.

Should there have been a debate on this issue? She referred to it in

her speech as being a concept that she was in general terms supportive

of, but there hasn't been a debate. There should have been a debate,

people have been talking about it and firmly, when she mentioned it in

the speech, I thought, this is a party that should have the union in

bedded in its DNA and I wanted to hear more passion and I think

probably within the whole order to hear more about that, too. I don't

think she has anything to fear from that debate. People in the

Conservative party who are against the powers, they are not somewhere

where the party wants to be going. The reforms she is trying to make

and also the way she is trying to modernise the party is good progress

but the Scottish Conservatives and they should be behind her on that.

The fact that David Cameron spoke so firmly in support of her yesterday

showed she has nothing to fear so it should have been debated. Did it

show that she needed support? Certainly, the media speculation has

not been helpful will stop it became quite clear in this weekend but Ruth

Davidson is very loyal and David Cameron is loyal and her. But he

went further than the script in his speech, he went out of his way to

support her. Where are we on this stratified commission, what will

happen next? My understanding is that they have not met yet so that

is quite a long time to announce it. They have to move quite quickly

knife. They were ahead of the game in terms of topping where they

should go with devolution. I think they need to say things. Do you see

a composite position emerging? Conservative Labour and Liberal

Democrat or will you be putting their own distinctive mark? Ever has

made that very clear what their own group, looking towards the

referendum and I think everybody has to be distinctive. They can only be

distinctive. The Liberal Democrats and conservatives are miles apart.

It is a perfectly reasonable alternative that each party comes up

at their own proposals and says, he will make this in our 2015 general

election manifesto. Ruth Davidson says about for now means no change.

Do you think is a problem for better together or is it a diversity?

Although there is a feeling in Scotland that they want more powers

for the Scottish Parliament, there is not a consensus about what those

powers should be. What they can say is, vote no, remain in the UK and

then we have different views on what more devolution would be but there

is more devolution coming. Watchers for schools, she is nine bringing

back into the foreground and this idea of an annual long funded break

for carers? They sounded great but I am not sure about the detail, if it

looks up to scrutiny. I'm not sure how it differs from what we have