04/03/2017

:00:18. > :00:23.Hello and a very warm welcome to our live coverage of the Scottish

:00:24. > :00:27.Conservative Spring conference in Glasgow. The party faithful are

:00:28. > :00:31.gathering across the Clyde Whittington here the leader Ruth

:00:32. > :00:38.Davidson give her keynote address. Dash-mac waiting to hear. I am on

:00:39. > :00:46.the other side of the river in the conference hall with all the news

:00:47. > :00:49.and analysis. The Conservatives think they are back on track and

:00:50. > :00:53.shunted labour into third place at the Hollywood election last year. It

:00:54. > :00:56.is the first time they've gathered in Glasgow for almost 20 years and

:00:57. > :01:02.they are full of praise for the leader Davidson. Ryan Taylor is

:01:03. > :01:09.standing by across the river. Dash-mac Brian. A real change in

:01:10. > :01:16.political fortunes for the Conservatives? They have had a good

:01:17. > :01:22.year and have placed themselves as the main opposition party at

:01:23. > :01:24.Holyrood. You will hear as successors speakers here including

:01:25. > :01:26.one session when you're talking about holding the Scottish

:01:27. > :01:32.Government to account claiming they have done a good job in processing

:01:33. > :01:37.scrutiny at Holyrood. I think the main keynote speech of Ruth Davidson

:01:38. > :01:42.I will not be surprised if you go beyond that. And seeing in

:01:43. > :01:45.campaigning last year to be principal opposition at Holyrood she

:01:46. > :01:50.wants them to position themselves as a Government in waiting. I think she

:01:51. > :01:54.is perhaps fitting the evidence and say that they are not there yet and

:01:55. > :01:59.a long way away from that but she will set the party I think on a path

:02:00. > :02:03.where they are thinking in terms of perhaps position themselves as an

:02:04. > :02:07.alternative Government rather than as they did rather than usually add

:02:08. > :02:10.elections last year stressing not that they were seeking to be the

:02:11. > :02:25.Government but the main opposition party. Dash-mac at the elections.

:02:26. > :02:30.With me as Professor John Curtice of Strathclyde University. What have we

:02:31. > :02:33.learned so far? I think one thing we've learned that Ms conference

:02:34. > :02:38.will find over the last two or three days, and one crucial thing about

:02:39. > :02:42.which we are still no further forward. Number one, it is now

:02:43. > :02:47.pretty clear that contrary to the assumption many people made, the

:02:48. > :02:52.view of the UK Government is that when we leave the European Union

:02:53. > :02:55.those areas which are currently run primarily by the European Union such

:02:56. > :03:02.as agriculture and fish but which are not reserved to Westminster in

:03:03. > :03:06.the Scotland act and therefore would come to Scotland to administer in

:03:07. > :03:12.future in whole, the UK Government is reserving its that saying maybe

:03:13. > :03:16.actually some of this will need to stay at Westminster. As a result of

:03:17. > :03:19.that epic win over engaged in a debate between the UK Government and

:03:20. > :03:25.the Scottish Government about whether or not this means that the

:03:26. > :03:29.terms of the Scotland act will be rewritten and how much of the thing

:03:30. > :03:33.that you have currently run it will not run once we leave the EU, should

:03:34. > :03:37.come to Scotland. That is a new aspect of constitutional debate

:03:38. > :03:44.about which were no further forward and I think it will continue to buy

:03:45. > :03:55.the parties. Dash-mac divide. If Nicola Sturgeon does as for the

:03:56. > :03:58.second referendum dash-mac ask. The UK Government is simply refusing to

:03:59. > :04:01.tell us what his reaction would be saying they do not think there

:04:02. > :04:05.should be a referendum but that is not the same is going on to say we

:04:06. > :04:08.would refuted the right to hold a referendum. It is very reluctant to

:04:09. > :04:11.play this game and will be interesting to see how far it can

:04:12. > :04:17.hold that line. It has very interesting to listen to Tory

:04:18. > :04:24.spokesman basically failing to answer that question. Politics is

:04:25. > :04:27.all about power and that was very much in evidence as the prime

:04:28. > :04:30.ministers swept in for her conference speech yesterday. Theresa

:04:31. > :04:41.May attempted to make a passionate case for the union and accused the

:04:42. > :04:46.SNP of tunnel vision nationalism. Last May you achieved our party 's

:04:47. > :04:51.best ever results in a Scottish Parliamentary election, doubling the

:04:52. > :04:55.number of Conservative MSPs. You took second place in an election for

:04:56. > :05:04.the first time in 25 years and you beat the Scottish Labour Party for

:05:05. > :05:11.the first time in 60 years. Because for too long a feeble and

:05:12. > :05:17.incompetent Scottish Labour opposition did nothing to scrutinise

:05:18. > :05:22.the SNP for their failures. An SNP Government interested only in

:05:23. > :05:27.stoking up endless constitutional grievance and furthering their

:05:28. > :05:30.obsession with independence. At the expense of Scottish public services

:05:31. > :05:37.such as the NHS and education was given a free pass by Labour. With

:05:38. > :05:39.the roof now leading the charge the SNP 's holiday from democratic

:05:40. > :05:52.accountability has come to an end. Dash-mac with Ruth Davidson leading

:05:53. > :05:57.the charge. Take education. Ruth Davidson and her formidable team of

:05:58. > :06:02.MSPs have exposed the SNP 's mismanagement of Scotland schools.

:06:03. > :06:06.Scottish schools, which once led the world in setting the highest

:06:07. > :06:11.standards of attainment, and no outperformed in every category by

:06:12. > :06:17.schools in England, Northern Ireland, Estonia and Poland.

:06:18. > :06:22.Education, fully devolved since 1999 and under the SNP 's stewardship for

:06:23. > :06:28.ten years, but standards have fallen. The attainment gap remains.

:06:29. > :06:35.Scottish Young people are losing out. 150,000 further education

:06:36. > :06:39.places cut the Nationalists. A cap on the number of Scottish students

:06:40. > :06:42.can enter higher education. Fewer young people from the poorest

:06:43. > :06:48.backgrounds making it to university than in the rest of the UK. And just

:06:49. > :06:52.this week we have learned that the SNP Government has delayed its

:06:53. > :06:55.planned education bill. Such is their obsession with the single

:06:56. > :07:10.issue of independence. The SNP 's neglect and mismanagement

:07:11. > :07:16.of Scottish education has been a scandal. But sadly it does not stop

:07:17. > :07:21.there. The abysmal failure of the farm payment system, the replacement

:07:22. > :07:24.of stamp duty with the new tax which charges Scottish home-buyers more

:07:25. > :07:28.and brings in less revenue than promised. Starving the health

:07:29. > :07:33.service by refusing to match the spending increases on the NHS in

:07:34. > :07:37.England. The SNP Government demands further powers for the Scottish

:07:38. > :07:41.Parliament but fails to pass powers onto local people in Scotland's

:07:42. > :07:47.villages and towns and cities. The simple truth is our policies are not

:07:48. > :08:01.in the best interests of Scotland but in the political interest of the

:08:02. > :08:12.SNP. Dash-mac via policies. -- -- there. A party resolutely focused on

:08:13. > :08:16.just one thing, independence. The SNP play politics as if it were a

:08:17. > :08:20.game that politics is not a game and the management of the bold public

:08:21. > :08:27.services in Scotland is too important to be neglected. Dash-mac

:08:28. > :08:30.devolved. When I stood outside Downing Street on the day I became

:08:31. > :08:35.Prime Minister and reminded people in the full title of our party is

:08:36. > :08:42.the Conservative and Unionist party. And that word Unionist is very

:08:43. > :08:46.important to me. My first visit as Prime Minister was here to Scotland.

:08:47. > :08:50.I wanted to make clear that strengthening and sustaining the

:08:51. > :08:57.bonds that is a personal priority for me. I'm confident about the

:08:58. > :09:00.future of our United Kingdom and optimistic about what we can achieve

:09:01. > :09:06.together as a country. The fundamental strengths of our union

:09:07. > :09:12.and the benefits it brings to all of its constituent parts are clear. But

:09:13. > :09:17.we all know that the SNP will never stop twisting the truth and

:09:18. > :09:20.distorting reality in their effort to denigrate our United Kingdom and

:09:21. > :09:24.further their obsession with independence. It is the single

:09:25. > :09:30.purpose in political life. And we need to be equally determined to

:09:31. > :09:31.ensure that the truth about our United Kingdom is heard loudly and

:09:32. > :09:44.clearly. As Britain leads the European Union

:09:45. > :09:51.we forge a new role for ourselves and the world. -- leaves. The

:09:52. > :09:56.strength of stability will become ever more important. We must take

:09:57. > :10:01.this opportunity to bring our United Kingdom closer together because the

:10:02. > :10:07.union that we care about is not simply a constitutional artefact. It

:10:08. > :10:11.a union of people, perfections and loyalties. Ten years ago banks

:10:12. > :10:14.headquartered in Edinburgh and London which employ tens of

:10:15. > :10:20.thousands of people and look after the savings of millions were rescued

:10:21. > :10:25.by the UK Treasury. Action that was only possible because of the size

:10:26. > :10:29.and strength of the British economy. In the Island gas sector the vital

:10:30. > :10:34.industry honour is close from Aberdeen to Lowestoft, the broad

:10:35. > :10:38.shoulders of our wider economy have allowed the UK Government to take

:10:39. > :10:46.unprecedented action to support the sector following the decline in the

:10:47. > :10:49.international all price. They'll sector has been protected in

:10:50. > :10:54.Scotland even as North Sea tax receipts have dwindled to nothing.

:10:55. > :10:56.Time and again the benefits of the union and doing together

:10:57. > :11:01.collectively what would be impossible to do apart are clear.

:11:02. > :11:06.Indeed the economic case for the union has never been stronger. That

:11:07. > :11:10.is no economic case for breaking up the United Kingdom or for listing

:11:11. > :11:15.the ties that bind us together. We cannot allow our United Kingdom to

:11:16. > :11:18.drift apart. For too long the attitude in Whitehall has been to

:11:19. > :11:24.devolve and forget. That is Prime Minister of United Kingdom I am just

:11:25. > :11:32.as concerned that young people in Dundee get a good start in life and

:11:33. > :11:35.receive the education they need to which the full potential as I am

:11:36. > :11:43.about young people in Doncaster in Dartford. I cared as much about all

:11:44. > :11:48.the people on both sides of the River Tweed as the Irish Sea. We

:11:49. > :11:51.must ensure the right person at the right level to ensure our United

:11:52. > :11:55.Kingdom can operate effectively and in the interests of all other

:11:56. > :12:00.citizens including people in Scotland. We must also ensure that

:12:01. > :12:05.the UK which emerges from the EU is able to strike the best possible

:12:06. > :12:10.trade deals internationally. In short, we must avoid any unintended

:12:11. > :12:13.consequences for the coherence and integrity of the devolved United

:12:14. > :12:20.Kingdom as a result of our leaving the EU. As I have made clear

:12:21. > :12:26.repeatedly, no decision is currently taken by the Scottish Parliament

:12:27. > :12:28.will be removed from them. While they SNP propose that

:12:29. > :12:34.decision-making should remain in Brussels, we will use the

:12:35. > :12:37.opportunity of Brexit to make sure that more decisions are devolved

:12:38. > :12:50.back into the hands of the Scottish people. We are four nations. But at

:12:51. > :12:56.heart we are one people. That solidarity is the essence of our

:12:57. > :13:01.United Kingdom and as she raised safeguard for his future. Let us

:13:02. > :13:07.live up to that high ideal and let us never stop making loudly and

:13:08. > :13:13.clearly the positive, optimistic and passionate case for our precious

:13:14. > :13:22.union of nations and of people. Thank you. A standing ovation to the

:13:23. > :13:27.Prime Minister speaking yesterday. Back to the conference centre now

:13:28. > :13:36.and Brian has a special guests, the Secretary of State for Scotland.

:13:37. > :13:41.David Mundell, thank you very much for joining us. She seemed to be

:13:42. > :13:45.talking about the depth of the union and not just an economic bargain. I

:13:46. > :13:50.think she clearly set out yesterday her absolute commitment to the

:13:51. > :13:54.United Kingdom and not only sustained but prospering. That is

:13:55. > :13:57.about recognising that is not just an economic benefit to being in the

:13:58. > :14:02.union but across these British Isles we are one people and have a unity

:14:03. > :14:06.of purpose. We have a unity of purpose within the islands and

:14:07. > :14:11.across the world. She was to foster and build on that. Is that feasible

:14:12. > :14:17.when Scotland are is divided over independence and the UK is divided

:14:18. > :14:25.over Brexit? I think it is perfectly decidable and feasible. People,

:14:26. > :14:34.particularly the SNP, seek to exploit division. Theresa May is

:14:35. > :14:39.about bringing people together. The referendum letter can put the in the

:14:40. > :14:42.Brexit thought. People voted across United Kingdom to leave the EU and

:14:43. > :14:46.we wanted to bring together those people voted to leave and those who

:14:47. > :14:52.voted to remain to get the best possible deal for the UK and exiting

:14:53. > :14:55.the EU. Just as I had hoped that after we had had a referendum

:14:56. > :14:59.Scotland when people voted to remain in the UK we would have seen people

:15:00. > :15:06.coming together and supporting that decision and working together the

:15:07. > :15:15.best of Scotland and the UK. -- best interests.

:15:16. > :15:21.On agriculture, it doesn't yet appear to be clear. It is I devolved

:15:22. > :15:24.power governed by the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government

:15:25. > :15:29.yet when it comes back from the EU it will go back to London in the

:15:30. > :15:34.first place? I am not saying that at all. I am saying this is a serious

:15:35. > :15:37.and complex issue and we need proper discussions with the Scottish

:15:38. > :15:42.Government, Scottish agriculture, about these issues. What we want to

:15:43. > :15:45.ensure it powers rest of the appropriate place and when we have

:15:46. > :15:48.it changes and powers in the Scottish Parliament before it has

:15:49. > :15:52.always been on the basis of discussion and engagement. We want

:15:53. > :15:57.to achieve the best resting place for those powers. The SNP say it is

:15:58. > :16:03.a devolved power. What is so hard? Just add it to the existing devolved

:16:04. > :16:06.powers? The SNP says those powers should remain in Brussels, but

:16:07. > :16:11.because we are leaving the EU we have to think about how we best

:16:12. > :16:16.ensure powers currently exercised in Brussels are exercised within the UK

:16:17. > :16:21.that allow us to continue to have a UK domestic market... I am talking

:16:22. > :16:24.about the Common agriculture policy for the UK. I represent a border

:16:25. > :16:29.constituency and want my farmers to be able to take their livestock to

:16:30. > :16:38.market in England with common standards... So it is UK wide rules?

:16:39. > :16:41.I don't think anyone is suggesting issues like hell farming and

:16:42. > :16:43.crofting would not be looked after year in Scotland, but rather than

:16:44. > :16:48.getting inevitably into a row, which is always the SNP way, let's have a

:16:49. > :16:52.measured discussion about how to get the outcome that is actually best

:16:53. > :16:59.for Scottish farmers so they can prosper. Alex Salmond says our grab.

:17:00. > :17:03.He would always say that sort of thing. The one thing I guarantee, a

:17:04. > :17:07.given, the hundreds of powers returning to the UK from Brussels,

:17:08. > :17:11.the Scottish Parliament will have more powers than it has today and

:17:12. > :17:15.not a single power it currently exercises will be removed. You made

:17:16. > :17:19.very clear in your speech this morning you do not want a referendum

:17:20. > :17:24.on independence. The Prime Minister could not have made it clear either.

:17:25. > :17:29.Not justified, not right, not necessary, etc, but SNP are still

:17:30. > :17:32.speaking about the possible request for powers to be transferred from

:17:33. > :17:37.the UK Government to the Scottish Government so that can go ahead,

:17:38. > :17:41.that referendum. What would your response be? As long as it remains a

:17:42. > :17:46.possible request my response is, do not do it. Take it off the table, it

:17:47. > :17:51.is divisive and causing uncertainty here in Scotland. There is not a

:17:52. > :17:54.shred of evidence the general population here, outside those

:17:55. > :17:59.obsessed with independence, want another referendum at this time.

:18:00. > :18:02.Instead of constantly banging on about independent let's try to work

:18:03. > :18:05.together, the Scottish Government and UK Government, to get the best

:18:06. > :18:11.possible deal from the EU as the exit. Do you accept the UK

:18:12. > :18:15.Government has the power over this question, this issue, of whether the

:18:16. > :18:19.independence referendum goes ahead? The Scottish Government made clear

:18:20. > :18:22.in their own consultation that in fact the UK Government would have to

:18:23. > :18:28.make the decision, and indeed there would have to be legislation in the

:18:29. > :18:33.UK Parliament. We will proceed as we did with the previous referendum,

:18:34. > :18:36.but I do not want a process row, I want to keep arguing there should

:18:37. > :18:41.not be another referendum. Nicola Sturgeon could today say she was

:18:42. > :18:47.going to withdraw that threat... And you today could see you would veto

:18:48. > :18:51.that threat. We are not in the business of promoting a referendum.

:18:52. > :18:57.We do not want to see a referendum. We do not think there should be one,

:18:58. > :19:03.but the ball is in Nicola Sturgeon's court. We say take it off the table

:19:04. > :19:07.and end the threat of division, the uncertainty, and join us in a team

:19:08. > :19:12.UK approach to try to get that best possible deal for Scotland and the

:19:13. > :19:16.UK as we leave the EU. More generally, philosophically, is it

:19:17. > :19:19.not a bit rich of Tories to be accusing the SNP of creating

:19:20. > :19:22.division when it is the very Brexit sport that has brought about this

:19:23. > :19:30.constitutional crisis in the first place? -- the very Brexit vote. I

:19:31. > :19:34.recognise that we had a vote across the United Kingdom that Britain

:19:35. > :19:39.should leave the EU. I respect that vote. I voted to remain, but not on

:19:40. > :19:43.the basis that my vote would then be used to open up another

:19:44. > :19:47.constitutional issue which I been decided in 2014 when people in

:19:48. > :19:52.Scotland voted decisively to remain part of the United Kingdom -- which

:19:53. > :19:56.had been decided. Brexit is a reality. Scotland and the UK are

:19:57. > :20:01.leaving the EU and we have to get on with it and make the best possible

:20:02. > :20:04.deal as we leave. Secretary of State, thank you for joining me here

:20:05. > :20:08.at the Conservative Party conference. I will allow the cameras

:20:09. > :20:14.and vision to hop back across the river to the studio. Brian, thank

:20:15. > :20:18.you to much. The message from the conference to the SNP was abundantly

:20:19. > :20:21.clear. They do not want a second independence referendum. Member

:20:22. > :20:28.after member lined up the price that message home... Poll after poll

:20:29. > :20:33.after poll makes it perfectly plain that most Scots do not want a second

:20:34. > :20:39.independence referendum. But within just three hours, just three hours

:20:40. > :20:44.of the EU referendum result becoming clear in the early hours of the 24th

:20:45. > :20:53.of June last year, the SNP book independence back on the agenda. --

:20:54. > :20:57.the SNP book independence. The 31 Conservative and Unionist MSPs

:20:58. > :21:02.elected to the Scottish Parliament in May were elected on a clear and

:21:03. > :21:07.unambiguous manifesto commitment to oppose any second independence

:21:08. > :21:10.referendum, and that, First Minister, is what a cast Ahtyba

:21:11. > :21:18.Rubin mandate looks like. APPLAUSE

:21:19. > :21:21.We will oppose -- that is what a cast iron mandate looks like. We

:21:22. > :21:27.will oppose a second independence referendum every step of the way.

:21:28. > :21:31.The SNP are still hell-bent on destroying our United Kingdom and

:21:32. > :21:35.continue not just to put our precious Union at risk, but the

:21:36. > :21:40.unity of our own nation here in Scotland. Whilst the sum that

:21:41. > :21:47.unwavering constant in an otherwise turbulent political world -- to

:21:48. > :21:52.some. Shocks and unexpected results, it is clear to those of us living

:21:53. > :21:56.with the reality that these unceasing demands are becoming more

:21:57. > :22:04.and more dangerous. I am delighted to be the award for no means no,

:22:05. > :22:16.respect our democracy and stop talking our UK down. And the

:22:17. > :22:23.nominations are... Not you, Adam, sorry. Nicola Sturgeon for

:22:24. > :22:28.never-ending story, Groundhog Day, Part Two, The Sequel. It is a dark

:22:29. > :22:32.cartoon where the villain leads her marauding fanatical followers in an

:22:33. > :22:37.attempt to break up the Magic Kingdom. During her quest,

:22:38. > :22:45.children's education suffers, health and access to medical services

:22:46. > :22:49.decline, the police carry guns but they don't actually have police

:22:50. > :22:55.stations to keep guns in. Business wants to invest, but it is too

:22:56. > :23:04.scared in such an uncertain land. Our second nomination is Ruth

:23:05. > :23:07.Davidson, for her heart-warming, heroic, unpatriotic portrayal in

:23:08. > :23:18.United We Stand. APPLAUSE

:23:19. > :23:22.In these times of immense change, yes, there are challenges, yes, many

:23:23. > :23:28.of us feel uncertain about the future. But there is also excitement

:23:29. > :23:34.in the air, a sense of a new journey starting. And we need to approach

:23:35. > :23:38.that with confidence. To do that, we need to be clear about what will

:23:39. > :23:44.help and what will hinder. For me, the starting point is the union of

:23:45. > :23:49.the United Kingdom. I believe in it. Faced with the threat of

:23:50. > :23:54.independence, I fought for it. And in that independence referendum of

:23:55. > :24:00.2014, nearly 2 million people agreed with me. The experience was

:24:01. > :24:06.bruising. A referendum has three certainties. Division, destruction

:24:07. > :24:11.and a result. -- division, distraction and a result. Last year

:24:12. > :24:16.the EU referendum was also bruising, divisive and distracting, and we had

:24:17. > :24:20.a result. But in Scotland my Remain vote, for that is how I voted, seems

:24:21. > :24:25.to have been borrowed and produced by Nicola Sturgeon. She says my vote

:24:26. > :24:32.for the United Kingdom to remain in the EU is her mandate to break up

:24:33. > :24:35.the United Kingdom and to seek independence for Scotland then try

:24:36. > :24:44.to negotiate Scotland back into the EU. Let me say to her, my vote is

:24:45. > :24:47.nothing of the sort. The Union I believe in and value above all

:24:48. > :24:55.others is the union of the United Kingdom.

:24:56. > :25:00.APPLAUSE Baroness Annabel Goldie there. Back

:25:01. > :25:04.to Brian on the conference floor. Thanks very much. We have a butchers

:25:05. > :25:09.behind me here and you can see the Brexit stall. How do we do it?

:25:10. > :25:13.Rather a good question. One I will put to Liz Smith. How is it to be

:25:14. > :25:18.done? Will be smooth, easy? It does not look that way at the moment. I

:25:19. > :25:22.think the most important thing is, Brian, is to ensure we get the best

:25:23. > :25:34.deal. I know it is complex, exactly as the Prime Minister said

:25:35. > :25:37.yesterday, but I think to get the best deal for Scotland and Britain.

:25:38. > :25:40.But, Adam, the best deal for Scotland and the UK can join. You

:25:41. > :25:42.believe there is no possibility of a distinct deal for Scotland? I think

:25:43. > :25:45.there are things round the edge that could be different for Scotland but

:25:46. > :25:48.the core market for Scotland to trade-in is the UK domestic market.

:25:49. > :25:51.We know Scotland trades four times as much with the rest of the UK as

:25:52. > :25:55.with the whole of the EU and the Prime Minister is absolutely right

:25:56. > :25:58.to make our guiding principle, as she said, that whatever happens with

:25:59. > :26:04.Brexit, we do not do anything that will undermine the integrity of the

:26:05. > :26:08.UK's domestic market. But those bits around the edges, the Scottish

:26:09. > :26:11.Government paper, Scotland being in the Single Market, you told me that

:26:12. > :26:19.as a starter? I don't think so because to be in the EEA you need to

:26:20. > :26:22.be a state, and secondly if Scotland were inside the EEA and the rest of

:26:23. > :26:26.the UK was outside of the border between Scotland and the rest of the

:26:27. > :26:28.UK would begin to harden as regulatory regimes changed on either

:26:29. > :26:33.side. That is what I meant volley-mac mean about changing the

:26:34. > :26:39.integrity of the domestic market. -- that is what I mean about changing

:26:40. > :26:44.the integrity. But 2-1 against Brexit, all local authority areas

:26:45. > :26:48.voting against Brexit, yet Brexit? But it was a UK vote, the most

:26:49. > :26:50.important thing, and they have to respect that, in the same way we

:26:51. > :26:55.would like them to respect the result of the 2014 referendum. It is

:26:56. > :26:58.about respecting the vote taken on a UK basis, and of course Scotland had

:26:59. > :27:03.some different perspectives on that, but at the end of the day it is a UK

:27:04. > :27:07.vote, and everybody in any political party has to remember that. What

:27:08. > :27:19.about the powers returned from Brussels? I raise this earlier with

:27:20. > :27:22.the Secretary of State. Will those be returned to the member state in

:27:23. > :27:24.the first place, then perhaps probably dispersed? As I understand

:27:25. > :27:27.it, when we come out of the EU, these powers comeback to

:27:28. > :27:31.Westminster, and that debate has to take place on a UK basis, and

:27:32. > :27:34.exactly as Adam said, there will be bits round the edges of that that

:27:35. > :27:38.need intense discussion but I do not see any problem about the powers

:27:39. > :27:41.currently held in Brussels coming back to Westminster because that is

:27:42. > :27:47.the constitutional right. We have been very clear about this, Brian.

:27:48. > :27:49.There will be no real reservation of any power away from Holyrood.

:27:50. > :27:52.Nothing Hollywood currently does will be taken away from the Scottish

:27:53. > :27:58.Parliament and returned to Westminster. You are saying, laws on

:27:59. > :28:02.agriculture, for example, those will go to Westminster in the first

:28:03. > :28:09.place? The Common Agricultural Policy in tablet -- encapsulates and

:28:10. > :28:13.includes food labelling, the distribution, and many of these

:28:14. > :28:16.things are not about agriculture at all but about consumer protection,

:28:17. > :28:21.and that is reserved to Westminster. The important point, there is no

:28:22. > :28:24.smash and grab, no power grab by Westminster or Theresa May's

:28:25. > :28:28.Government. It is inevitable some powers will come to Holyrood. Think

:28:29. > :28:31.it is inevitable Holyrood will become an even more powerful

:28:32. > :28:33.parliament as a result of Brexit. But there will be no real

:28:34. > :28:38.reservation of any power and there is nothing at all that Hollywood

:28:39. > :28:42.currently does that will be taken away. Nicola Sturgeon said in a

:28:43. > :28:45.speech this week earlier that agriculture and fish are already

:28:46. > :28:49.devolved and if Scotland does not get the EU element of that is

:28:50. > :28:53.undermining the very basis of the 1988 act that set up a Scottish

:28:54. > :29:01.Parliament in the first place -- 1998 act. As we said, there are

:29:02. > :29:04.debates to be had around it, but the fundamental principle is this was a

:29:05. > :29:08.UK wide election and the powers initially will firstly go back to

:29:09. > :29:12.Westminster. We are just about to start, so I need to go back to the

:29:13. > :29:26.hall. APPLAUSE

:29:27. > :29:42.Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, conference, for that wonderful

:29:43. > :29:45.welcome. And thank you to Glasgow for hosting us. Being here takes me

:29:46. > :29:50.back to one of my very favourite moments of last year. It was about

:29:51. > :29:55.six o'clock on the morning and made a sixth, standing in the Royal

:29:56. > :29:58.Highland Centre in Edinburgh, as the votes were still being counted,

:29:59. > :29:59.totally knackered, and all over Scotland the news had been coming

:30:00. > :30:24.in. Some wins a sweeter than others. We

:30:25. > :30:38.had taken five list seats that we bagged in the north-east. John Scott

:30:39. > :30:46.one in here. -- Ayr. Annie Wells and Adam Tomkins Garten. -- got in. I

:30:47. > :30:52.was or was quietly confident about Glasgow but not everyone was. I will

:30:53. > :30:58.let you know in a secret. Most of you will know that Annie what the

:30:59. > :31:02.shop floor and her local Marks Spencer. On election night she went

:31:03. > :31:06.to the count and was playing down her chances so she had to phone up

:31:07. > :31:10.both the next day and say she was not coming in because she has a new

:31:11. > :31:18.job and is handing her notice. She went straight from the shop floor to

:31:19. > :31:25.the floor of the Scottish Parliament and that is what I call checking

:31:26. > :31:34.out. She is not just an MSP, she is an MNS MSP. The Scottish

:31:35. > :31:39.Conservatives do not shy away from Glasgow any more. We win in Glasgow

:31:40. > :31:51.because this party, the Scottish Conservative and Unionist party is

:31:52. > :31:56.back. I want to start today by saying thank you to all of you. You

:31:57. > :32:05.who brought us that success last May. Particularly I want to say

:32:06. > :32:09.thank you for whom that was a long time coming. All around the soul I

:32:10. > :32:13.see people who service to this party eclipses my own. Who fought for this

:32:14. > :32:18.party during the toughest of times and take part in campaigns in the

:32:19. > :32:23.expectation of defeat did it anyway. You know who you are. You deserve

:32:24. > :32:27.the result last May more than everybody. If it had not been for

:32:28. > :32:32.people like Alex Johnson Marjorie Borthwick fighting campaigns over

:32:33. > :32:38.the years regardless of the chances of victory we might not have made it

:32:39. > :32:42.so far. Dan McKenzie and Hamish Macleod and Elizabeth Walsh who

:32:43. > :32:57.packed it in and decided were a lost cause back in the day. If Mark and

:32:58. > :33:02.his brilliant team in Northumberland had not organised another fundraiser

:33:03. > :33:10.and let the street stalls slide the Nicola Sturgeon would now be even

:33:11. > :33:18.more cocky about our plans to -- about her plans to separate our

:33:19. > :33:21.country if that were possible. This party, the only one with the guts to

:33:22. > :33:24.stand up to the SNP, would not be able to do that job right now so

:33:25. > :33:37.from the bottom of my heart I thank you. Because of you we can deliver.

:33:38. > :33:40.Holding this feeling and complacent SNP Government to account and

:33:41. > :33:47.providing the strong opposition that this country needs. Named persons,

:33:48. > :33:53.remember that? We alone said no. We alone demanded a rethink on the

:33:54. > :33:57.plans are now dumped in the long grass. Just this week we inflicted

:33:58. > :34:01.another defeat in the SNP in Parliament over their plans for yet

:34:02. > :34:06.more centralisation, this time over education. Last month and business

:34:07. > :34:09.rates as hotels and pubs in length and breadth of Scotland were

:34:10. > :34:13.threatened with closure with SNP ministers refusing to listen, in a

:34:14. > :34:27.campaign led brilliantly by model Fraser. We bought to the nail. --

:34:28. > :34:30.Murdo. It is about demanding change and testing the arguments and

:34:31. > :34:35.representing the people who do not get heard. Not morning from the

:34:36. > :34:38.sidelines like Labour by bleeding from the front and forcing this

:34:39. > :34:42.incompetent SNP Government to deliver. Doing the job for Scotland

:34:43. > :34:47.be promised that we would do. And we are getting stronger day by day.

:34:48. > :34:54.There are 31 of us in all. 24 that are new to the job. Conference, we

:34:55. > :34:58.brought in enough MSPs last year to have proper 11 aside football match

:34:59. > :35:09.and with Douglas Ross we even have a referee. It has been an amazing few

:35:10. > :35:14.months watching them grow in the job. Men and women from all walks of

:35:15. > :35:17.life. Not career politicians but people just wanted to do their bit

:35:18. > :35:21.and over these last three months have found their voice. Who has

:35:22. > :35:27.stepped up to the plate and discovered we can do this. We're at

:35:28. > :35:32.this. Let me tell you something, the Nationalists have noticed. They have

:35:33. > :35:35.noticed that we're not cowed. We are proud of our beliefs. They have

:35:36. > :35:41.noticed we are ready to take them on. It really confuses them. We are

:35:42. > :35:48.Tories. We're supposed to just lie down and get white. But the old

:35:49. > :35:52.hands and the fresh blood, this group of Scottish Conservative MSPs

:35:53. > :35:55.are not for backing down. This group of Scottish Conservatives are

:35:56. > :35:59.confident in their beliefs and clear in the values and are determined to

:36:00. > :36:05.stand up to the SNP every step of the way. Day in and day out they are

:36:06. > :36:09.doing their party proud and they are doing our country proud and I could

:36:10. > :36:12.not be more proud to lead them. I want everyone here today to give

:36:13. > :36:27.them our thanks for the hard work they are doing. APPLAUSE. And then

:36:28. > :36:32.there's David Mundell as Secretary of State for Scotland. Getting on

:36:33. > :36:42.the business of ensuring Scotland's voice is heard loud and clear in the

:36:43. > :36:46.UK Government. His early days as a backbencher David has been her

:36:47. > :36:50.stouthearted servant of party and country and is never pays but

:36:51. > :36:55.incoming fire from SNP MPs and quietly and effectively getting on

:36:56. > :37:07.with the job. We could not do without you. David, thank you so

:37:08. > :37:10.very, very much. APPLAUSE. Conference, one thing does not

:37:11. > :37:14.change in politics on the matter how frenzied things get. You get no

:37:15. > :37:20.points for what you have done. You get no points for patting yourself

:37:21. > :37:26.on the back. It is always the next challenge that counts, the next step

:37:27. > :37:29.is always the most important. While it has been great this weekend to

:37:30. > :37:34.recognise the victories of last year it is time to focus on the future.

:37:35. > :37:39.Last year 's election already feels light-years away. Remember it and

:37:40. > :37:46.enjoy it but we must move on. For one vital reason. Because our

:37:47. > :37:49.country requires us to. Last week at Labour's conference in Paris we so

:37:50. > :37:54.what happens to political parties when they turn in on themselves. And

:37:55. > :38:01.alloyed negativity and total chaos and no plan for the future. He is

:38:02. > :38:06.the truth. The mess that we are seeing in labour Right now only

:38:07. > :38:11.serves to emphasise the responsibility that now lies on our

:38:12. > :38:15.shoulders both here and across the UK is the only party capable of

:38:16. > :38:19.governing Britain and thank goodness we have Theresa May at the helm 's

:38:20. > :38:26.steering us forward at this time. At the last guy was pretty good but we

:38:27. > :38:39.saw yesterday what a superb and steadfast Prime Minister she is

:38:40. > :38:43.turning out to be. APPLAUSE. And Labour is chaos means that here in

:38:44. > :38:48.Scotland that can only be one party which can offer the challenge that

:38:49. > :38:51.is required to the Nationalists. One party which can credibly look the

:38:52. > :38:56.Scottish people in the eye and offer our country a different path. Which

:38:57. > :39:00.can speak to people, who might once have put their faith in Labour

:39:01. > :39:04.Liberal and the SNP and offer them something fresh. We must because

:39:05. > :39:12.those people who once cast their vote elsewhere are our people. Their

:39:13. > :39:16.concerns are our concerns. Their priorities over these coming years

:39:17. > :39:20.must now be our priority is to. We must reach out to them. We must

:39:21. > :39:26.understand them and listen to them and listen to their needs. And we

:39:27. > :39:29.must show them that this party, the Scottish Conservative Party, is the

:39:30. > :39:35.one that will stand up for them. That we are a Government in waiting.

:39:36. > :39:40.I be with you. We're not there yet. Not by a long shot. But by

:39:41. > :39:46.representing them in serving them we will reach that goal. We're not in

:39:47. > :39:50.this for us. We are not a club. We either party that aspires to govern

:39:51. > :39:55.for all of Scotland. A party that wants to show you do not have to

:39:56. > :40:00.pick between the old Labour and SNP establishment any more. A party that

:40:01. > :40:03.says the United Kingdom is not a hindrance to Scotland's ambitions

:40:04. > :40:07.but the best way to realise it. A party that was the champion

:40:08. > :40:13.aspiration and success and good old-fashioned Scottish get up and go

:40:14. > :40:16.and that to tackle society 's most intractable problems. We must start

:40:17. > :40:22.now is a party that task. If you look at how we start by setting out

:40:23. > :40:27.clearly are a purpose and vision and the reasons why we are here and

:40:28. > :40:31.asking to serve. Conference, my reasons for getting into politics

:40:32. > :40:38.were not forged in a boardroom or some kind of privilege dining club.

:40:39. > :40:42.My politics were forced my Buckhaven primary classroom, a great school

:40:43. > :40:46.with brilliant teachers burning with ambition for the peoples. That gave

:40:47. > :40:51.me the chance to get on life. Where are all around you you could also

:40:52. > :40:54.see opportunities that were not been taken, potential that was not been

:40:55. > :41:04.realised and talents not been crackled. -- cradle. That was not

:41:05. > :41:08.the fault of the teachers. But because it had been too many young

:41:09. > :41:15.people that to aspire was somehow wrong. That ambition was something

:41:16. > :41:20.only other people had and we, the young people should know our place.

:41:21. > :41:27.Except the way things are and settle for something second-best. It is to

:41:28. > :41:31.challenge and change and bury that suffocating culture of lumping your

:41:32. > :41:34.last is why join the Conservative Party. It is a party that says that

:41:35. > :41:39.every young person that you places where you wanted to be. You do not

:41:40. > :41:46.have to just shrug and accept the way things are. That there is

:41:47. > :41:48.nothing that you cannot do. That as people yes, to take personal

:41:49. > :41:55.responsibility for their own lives, but the demands society offers them

:41:56. > :41:59.opportunity return and takes what is best from our traditions, our

:42:00. > :42:04.country and values, and uses that knowledge to ensure progress in the

:42:05. > :42:09.modern world. Our purpose and vision and the reason for being in politics

:42:10. > :42:13.is to ensure those same people, the classmates I remember, can get on in

:42:14. > :42:18.life. It is to make Scotland the best place for them to study and

:42:19. > :42:22.learn and get a job and have the fulfilment they deserve. The sad

:42:23. > :42:28.truth is this. For too many of them Scotland is not that place right

:42:29. > :42:32.now. Because after ten years and offers this SNP Government has

:42:33. > :42:38.simply squandered the opportunity it to transform our country. So let me

:42:39. > :42:42.set out with change must come. For those young people, for my

:42:43. > :42:55.classmates and friends, it starts back in school.

:42:56. > :43:03.Change needs to happen. Standards in reading and science are falling

:43:04. > :43:09.across the board. We do not perform above the international average in

:43:10. > :43:13.anything. The Sutton trust, a leading education charity said this

:43:14. > :43:18.last month. There is no specific area where able children in Scotland

:43:19. > :43:22.really excel. What an absolute disgrace. What a mark of shame. So

:43:23. > :43:36.much for your social justice, Nicola. APPLAUSE. Let me make this

:43:37. > :43:44.clear. Teachers are not to blame for this.

:43:45. > :43:47.I'd like this conference to record our thanks

:43:48. > :43:52.for the fantastic work they do day in, day out, in spite of the SNP

:43:53. > :44:04.incompetence that's hampering them from doing their job.

:44:05. > :44:08.The blame lies with a school system that, thanks to this SNP Government,

:44:09. > :44:14.Here's the thing though - we can change this.

:44:15. > :44:17.So today I can announce that we are going to undertake

:44:18. > :44:20.a root and branch review of one part of the system that is failing -

:44:21. > :44:40.APPLAUSE Teachers tell us they don't want another top-down reform so we

:44:41. > :44:43.do not propose scrapping it all together but we have two challenge

:44:44. > :44:48.the prevailing orthodoxy which has led to this collapse and standards.

:44:49. > :44:56.Bush thinks of facts and knowledge is of secondary importance. -- which

:44:57. > :45:00.thinks. Which puts the latest fashionable theory before the need

:45:01. > :45:03.for teacher to teach and is left a generation of teachers and pupils

:45:04. > :45:07.are utterly confused about what is going on what the curriculum for

:45:08. > :45:14.excellence is for. Our review will insist on better way. Knowing this,

:45:15. > :45:18.that if we want to leave children out of poverty they have no greater

:45:19. > :45:23.aid than an education which provides them with the knowledge and the

:45:24. > :45:28.facts empowering them to do so. We will report back with practical set

:45:29. > :45:33.of recommendations but it is already clear it is time to get rid of the

:45:34. > :45:36.waffle and theories that have failed and to restore Scotland's reputation

:45:37. > :45:47.as providing the very best education in the world. APPLAUSE.

:45:48. > :45:54.And we want more besides. We want more innovation and freedom in our

:45:55. > :45:59.education system so entrepreneurs like Jim McColl are encouraged and

:46:00. > :46:03.not put off from building more brilliant junior colleges for kids

:46:04. > :46:07.who would otherwise leave schools with nothing. When pupils leave

:46:08. > :46:12.school we want more support where it is needed. Let's never forget,

:46:13. > :46:18.conference, this SNP Government is the same government which slashed

:46:19. > :46:29.150,000 college places so Alex Salmond could enjoy a photo it. --

:46:30. > :46:37.photo opportunity. The SNP guts education, and where they do that we

:46:38. > :46:41.see it is as valuable as a university one, and we believe in it

:46:42. > :46:46.opportunity. We believe in a good education and providing that

:46:47. > :46:49.positive start for all, handing down a country where young people can

:46:50. > :46:52.grab those opportunities they create, and that whatever course

:46:53. > :46:56.they want to plot, whatever industry they want to pursue, role they want

:46:57. > :47:02.to achieve, they can do that here at home. We have to ask ourselves, if

:47:03. > :47:07.Scotland under the SNP doing that? The sad truth is, again, no, it is

:47:08. > :47:12.not. Economic growth is a third of what it is elsewhere in the world,

:47:13. > :47:16.income tax is no higher, business taxes are doubling for many

:47:17. > :47:21.overnight. What kind of message are we sending out -- income tax is now

:47:22. > :47:25.higher. I speak the job creators across Scotland every week and they

:47:26. > :47:28.are worried, worried about an SNP Government gaining ever more power

:47:29. > :47:32.over our economy but has no idea how to use it. They are worried about a

:47:33. > :47:37.Scottish Government which has one plan for Brexit and one plan only,

:47:38. > :47:44.to use it to break up our United Kingdom. And ask yourselves, is that

:47:45. > :47:48.the actions of a government? You all know where I stand on our decision

:47:49. > :47:53.to leave the European Union, and if you don't, just ask Boris, but I

:47:54. > :47:57.will be honest. I think the negotiations we face are going to be

:47:58. > :48:03.tough. I think we are going to be tested, and it is not going to be

:48:04. > :48:08.easy. But here's the difference between Nicola Sturgeon and me. I

:48:09. > :48:13.want us to make a success of Brexit, and she wants Britain to fail. And

:48:14. > :48:18.irrespective of how I voted, I have to respect the result, whereas she

:48:19. > :48:27.has never met a referendum she hasn't tried to overturn.

:48:28. > :48:31.APPLAUSE And I see this here today. As we

:48:32. > :48:36.leave the EU, whether individually we voted Remain or Leave, we deserve

:48:37. > :48:41.a Scottish Government that is focused on helping team UK to get

:48:42. > :48:45.the best Brexit deal for all of us, not using it to revive its

:48:46. > :48:48.independence obsession. If we look at our firms, small and large

:48:49. > :48:53.manufacturing, services, right across Scotland, and we ask

:48:54. > :48:55.ourselves, or the wallowing in doom? No, they are not. They are planning

:48:56. > :49:09.on how to tackle the challenges and exploit

:49:10. > :49:11.the opportunities, and that has been our positive plan as well. Last week

:49:12. > :49:14.our own group and Brexit reported back, made up of those who voted

:49:15. > :49:16.Tremain and Leave, because this Conservative Party believes in

:49:17. > :49:18.bringing our country back together, and what they said it is clear. It

:49:19. > :49:21.is this. You don't sort Brexit by splitting the UK. You deal with

:49:22. > :49:35.Brexit by sticking together. APPLAUSE

:49:36. > :49:39.I am a Democrat, conference. We accepted the rules and the result

:49:40. > :49:43.and we must move on to implement it. I think the right path is no clear.

:49:44. > :49:48.We must keep Scotland competitive with taxes no higher than the rest

:49:49. > :49:53.of the UK. -- the right path is now clear. We must keep Scotland in our

:49:54. > :49:56.own Union to benefit from our own internal market, and put all our

:49:57. > :50:02.efforts into striking a trade deal with Europe to ensure our firms can

:50:03. > :50:06.continue to thrive. We also need our governments in both Edinburgh and

:50:07. > :50:09.London to seek out new markets for Scottish goods, because the

:50:10. > :50:13.potential for growth is enormous. Our trade with the rest of the world

:50:14. > :50:18.is already more than with the whole of the EU, and if we really put our

:50:19. > :50:21.mind to it, Scotland's exports to be double doors to Europe in coming

:50:22. > :50:24.years. The fact if Scotland has brilliant products and high-end

:50:25. > :50:28.services that the world once and it is now our job to go out and sell

:50:29. > :50:33.them. Wouldn't it be lovely, conference, if we had a Scottish

:50:34. > :50:37.Government that sought to use this time to talk up what we could do

:50:38. > :50:41.rather than finding or creating all that we could not? Wouldn't it be

:50:42. > :50:45.nice if we had a Scottish Government that focused on how to grow

:50:46. > :50:50.Scotland's success in the coming years? And I say to the SNP, stop

:50:51. > :50:54.talking Scotland down. Go out into the world and start talking up our

:50:55. > :51:05.prospects, for once. APPLAUSE

:51:06. > :51:08.And you know when I look at our SNP Government, the truth is it just

:51:09. > :51:13.frustrates me. All of that energy, that sense of purpose, all of that

:51:14. > :51:18.work, and so little of it going where it is needed. Not into

:51:19. > :51:22.education- only this week John Swinney has delayed his reforms yet

:51:23. > :51:27.again. Not on the economy, where their answer to low growth is to

:51:28. > :51:32.attract firms more. And in other areas as well. -- attack firms more.

:51:33. > :51:34.Our job has been to show there is an alternative, and in just the last

:51:35. > :51:38.six months we campaigned successfully for more NHS funding to

:51:39. > :51:42.go to family doctors so we can tackle the nation's poor health at

:51:43. > :51:46.source. We set out a plan to cut air passenger duty for long haul so

:51:47. > :51:51.Scotland can be better connected to the world. We set out a raft of

:51:52. > :51:53.proposals to finally achieve parity between mental and physical health

:51:54. > :51:59.treatment, and crucially to reduce health inequality. Only last week we

:52:00. > :52:05.set out a new paper making it clear that economic growth must go

:52:06. > :52:09.hand-in-hand with care for our environment. But, conference, we

:52:10. > :52:13.must do more. The NHS doctors and nurses are doing their best from one

:52:14. > :52:17.day to the next, but what is the SNP's plan? To keep it going until

:52:18. > :52:22.the next winter crisis are after the next election in the hope the staff

:52:23. > :52:27.the staggering on despite growing demand and ever higher expectations?

:52:28. > :52:32.It is not good enough. We need a long-term strategy, which sets the

:52:33. > :52:37.course for the NHS to prosper for the rest of this century, not

:52:38. > :52:42.short-term political fixes. Led by Donald Cameron, our new health

:52:43. > :52:47.spokesman, we will know and owns our plans -- soon announce our plans for

:52:48. > :52:50.an advisory board in social care, made up of practitioners, to deliver

:52:51. > :52:53.a real long-term vision for our health service. To offer a bold

:52:54. > :52:58.vision of how the founding values of the NHS can be renewed for the

:52:59. > :53:05.modern age. What about local government? What is the SNP's plan?

:53:06. > :53:08.To scoop up as much power as they can and try to control everything

:53:09. > :53:14.from the centre. Conference, it is not good enough. If you know where

:53:15. > :53:18.our challenge is coming in local government, you know it is from the

:53:19. > :53:21.thriving metropolitan areas of Manchester, Birmingham and

:53:22. > :53:25.Liverpool. What Scotland needs is not more local power is flowing to

:53:26. > :53:30.our First Minister. We need more powerful local leaders in our great

:53:31. > :53:34.cities, to take on the northern powerhouse in the -- and the

:53:35. > :53:37.Midlands engine. Scotland's growth levels are lagging behind the UK and

:53:38. > :53:40.have done so for the last three years and more central issue is not

:53:41. > :53:44.the answer to this. It is the cause of it. In our manifesto for the

:53:45. > :53:48.local government elections we will be setting out our plans to empower

:53:49. > :53:52.councils and give them a renewed purpose. With a greater role to

:53:53. > :53:58.deliver economic growth, with incentives so local areas get to

:53:59. > :54:01.keep the rewards of those growth. and crucially giving more control

:54:02. > :54:07.over the way money is raised and spent. that is real devolution. not

:54:08. > :54:12.just a holyrood but to the communities and cities that matter.

:54:13. > :54:16.conference, i think, in short, we have all had just about enough of

:54:17. > :54:22.the snp saying what cannot be done. we want a government that says, yes,

:54:23. > :54:27.it can, once and for all. instead, what do we get? morning about

:54:28. > :54:32.westminster when westminster is not in charge -- moaning about

:54:33. > :54:37.westminster. saying they do not have enough cash only to find millions

:54:38. > :54:42.down the back of the sofa. Saying they need a little bit more time. I

:54:43. > :54:48.say, you have had your time. And if you can't act or want act it is time

:54:49. > :54:57.you give someone else a go, because we need to focus. -- if you can't or

:54:58. > :55:00.won't act. APPLAUSE

:55:01. > :55:06.We need to focus on the massive challenges of the next 30 years, to

:55:07. > :55:09.automation -- how automation will change the nature of work in this

:55:10. > :55:14.country, our welfare state will be changing, how public services need

:55:15. > :55:18.to do more than mop up social problems but intervene before those

:55:19. > :55:21.problems happen in the first place. Can you even imagine the spin

:55:22. > :55:26.drenched short-term SNP government thinking about issues like that? You

:55:27. > :55:30.want to know why I am so opposed to a second referendum on independence?

:55:31. > :55:33.Yes, because I don't want to see my country go through all that turmoil

:55:34. > :55:38.and division we suffered three years ago. Yes, because I will defend

:55:39. > :55:43.Scotland's place in the UK it helped build and has ownership of for all

:55:44. > :55:46.my days and I do not want to see it threatened again. But it is also

:55:47. > :55:49.because of what we are not doing when our thoughts turn inwards. When

:55:50. > :55:56.we head down the constitutional cul-de-sac once again. Not sorting

:55:57. > :56:01.out our schools. Not dealing with the plan for our NHS. Not delivering

:56:02. > :56:06.economic growth, not empowering local government, not focusing on

:56:07. > :56:09.people's priorities. How many more years, conference, can Scotland

:56:10. > :56:14.afford to spend time not properly addressing these things that matter?

:56:15. > :56:18.How much longer do we have to put up with a nationalised party that puts

:56:19. > :56:24.its grievance hunting agenda before all our priorities? And for whom?

:56:25. > :56:29.The SNP, they claim to speak for our country. But they don't have to turn

:56:30. > :56:40.a deaf ear to the actual people of Scotland. -- the don't half turn a

:56:41. > :56:44.deaf ear. One in three of us say we actually want a referendum at all.

:56:45. > :56:47.This is the hard truth. The voices of the people of Scotland only

:56:48. > :56:50.matter to Nicola Sturgeon when they are saying something she already

:56:51. > :56:58.agrees with. You don't agree with the SNP? Then your voice doesn't

:56:59. > :57:02.matter to them. You don't count. Are you as sick and tired as I am with

:57:03. > :57:06.their arrogance? Are you as angry as I am that the result of a democratic

:57:07. > :57:11.vote, won the SNP promised to respect just three years ago, has

:57:12. > :57:14.been torn up in front of our eyes? Yes, they're the Government, they

:57:15. > :57:22.have the ministerial offices and the chauffeured cars, but they work --

:57:23. > :57:25.do the work for us -- but they work for us, the people of Scotland, and

:57:26. > :57:30.the people of Scotland are telling them loud and clear they are not on.

:57:31. > :57:33.We don't share your constitutional obsession when our children are

:57:34. > :57:38.being failed by your schools. Not when waiting times in our NHS are

:57:39. > :57:41.lengthening and tens of thousands of operations are being cancelled. Not

:57:42. > :57:44.when violent crime in our communities is on the rise. We don't

:57:45. > :57:49.want the next year and the years after to be taken up with another

:57:50. > :57:53.independence referendum. We want you to do the job you were elected to

:57:54. > :57:58.do, to address the issues that really matter. To make our schools

:57:59. > :58:03.better, our hospitals, our economy, and the lives of all of our people.

:58:04. > :58:07.Scotland said no to independence. Scotland is saying, stop trying to

:58:08. > :58:12.bounce us into another referendum, and I can promise you this. This

:58:13. > :58:19.party, the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, will never waver in

:58:20. > :58:26.our decision to stand up for the country. We said no, we meant it.

:58:27. > :58:27.Are you listening, Nicola? No second referendum.

:58:28. > :58:48.APPLAUSE And let me say this, let me say this

:58:49. > :58:52.to the First Minister as well. There has been a lot of talk since

:58:53. > :58:55.Labour's conference last weekend about the language we use in

:58:56. > :58:59.political debates, and it is a fair question, and we should all seek to

:59:00. > :59:03.live up to our own standards. But I am sick of the SNP's double

:59:04. > :59:08.standards on this. So when SNP figures attack the other side, I

:59:09. > :59:13.simply say this. It is time you lived by the same rules you apply to

:59:14. > :59:16.others. When you accuse pro-union-mac figures of distorting

:59:17. > :59:26.the truth, please shall Scotland some respect by giving us the truth

:59:27. > :59:30.on the cost of breaking our Union into -- when you accuse pro-Unio

:59:31. > :59:34.figures. Give us the truth of the cuts your policies would incur if we

:59:35. > :59:37.backed independence. When you try to portray Britain as an insular

:59:38. > :59:42.country, something different or other to us here in Scotland, take a

:59:43. > :59:46.moment to look around you. Look at the start in East Kilbride just down

:59:47. > :59:50.the road delivering British aid and development money to some of the

:59:51. > :59:54.poorest nations on the planet. Reflect on the troops at

:59:55. > :00:00.Lossiemouth, Leuchars and Faslane, defending democracy and advancing

:00:01. > :00:04.liberty 365 days a year 24/7 in our name. Consider what this country at

:00:05. > :00:09.its best gives us. A country which punches above its weight on the

:00:10. > :00:13.world stage economically and culturally, and in the humanitarian

:00:14. > :00:18.aid of others. Country which gives a girl from Glasgow and microphone in

:00:19. > :00:21.hand, the chance to stand up in the White House, and challenge the most

:00:22. > :00:25.powerful man in the world to explain his abhorrent views on Muslims and

:00:26. > :00:30.gay people. I know our country has its faults, but I give the leader

:00:31. > :00:34.tell the SNP this. As you choose to denigrate the UK to advance your

:00:35. > :00:39.cause, don't you dare claim Britain is not a land worth living in, nor

:00:40. > :00:45.that thousands of Scots want to stay open to the world as part of that,

:00:46. > :00:45.because you only diminish yourselves in doing so.

:00:46. > :01:07.APPLAUSE I urge you to take this message to

:01:08. > :01:12.people as we come to elections again. This SNP Government is

:01:13. > :01:17.failing Scotland and this Conservative Party is ready to

:01:18. > :01:22.serve. Politics that the longer obsesses over the Commonwealth flag

:01:23. > :01:26.but the content of our lives. I will always stand up the decision we made

:01:27. > :01:30.three years ago but the truth is I wish I didn't have to. I would be

:01:31. > :01:32.the happiest woman alive if I had never had to talk about the

:01:33. > :01:39.constitution one more time. Not because my love for this country is

:01:40. > :01:43.diminished, far from it, but none of us serve anyone by refighting old

:01:44. > :01:49.battles. We have been down that road before and what do we have to show

:01:50. > :01:52.for it? I divided country. And neglected politics, a Scottish

:01:53. > :01:58.Government that has now lost all grip on things that really matter.

:01:59. > :02:04.Scotland deserves better than this. It deserves better than wood and

:02:05. > :02:13.crude and May. It deserves and it is time for well and can and must. And

:02:14. > :02:17.the responsibility falls on us. We can be that better Government, we

:02:18. > :02:21.must be that better Government, we will be that better Government. That

:02:22. > :02:26.is our ambition and nothing less and all we know it will not come easy,

:02:27. > :02:30.we had some busy years with an independence referendum and a

:02:31. > :02:35.general election and a Scottish Parliament election and with every

:02:36. > :02:39.step we have grown as a party. Hundreds of thousands of Scots have

:02:40. > :02:44.listened to a message and seen our commitment and have put their trust

:02:45. > :02:49.in us. And over the next few weeks and in the months and years ahead I

:02:50. > :02:54.am asking you to do it all again. Because we know what is on the

:02:55. > :02:59.ballot paper. We know what is at stake. The prosperity of Scotland's

:03:00. > :03:03.families, the education of Scotland's children. Our place in

:03:04. > :03:07.the United Kingdom. I am up for that fight and I know you are too so

:03:08. > :03:21.let's get out there and get the job done. Thank you. APPLAUSE.

:03:22. > :03:27.The Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson receiving a standing

:03:28. > :03:31.ovation at the Clyde Auditorium after finishing her spring

:03:32. > :03:35.conference speech. She basked in her recent electoral success and said

:03:36. > :03:38.she was holding a failing and complacent SNP Government to

:03:39. > :03:43.account. She said we are a Government in waiting but not quite

:03:44. > :03:45.there yet. She said the SNP Government has squandered the

:03:46. > :03:51.opportunity to run the country. She spoke about education and called for

:03:52. > :03:54.a root and branch review of curriculum for excellence. She was

:03:55. > :04:00.to make a success of Brexit and she spoke again about the referendum. No

:04:01. > :04:03.second referendum. She said about the Scottish Government you have had

:04:04. > :04:23.your time and time somebody else had of a goal. -- had a goal. -- go.

:04:24. > :04:32.Professor John Curtice is with me. Your thoughts? Quite early on the

:04:33. > :04:35.she set up the ambition that the Conservative Party might provide in

:04:36. > :04:40.not too distant future Government for Scotland. She also said we're

:04:41. > :04:44.not quite there yet. One question you might ask is what idea did give

:04:45. > :04:48.us about the kind of Government the Conservatives might provide for

:04:49. > :04:51.Scotland? There was a passage about revising the curriculum for

:04:52. > :04:59.excellence that was drilled in the newspapers this morning. Some

:05:00. > :05:03.indication perhaps what she means is traditional Tory criticisms about

:05:04. > :05:07.having more facts and less theory. We also had a passage where she said

:05:08. > :05:13.there would be an advisory board on the NHS but not much more than that.

:05:14. > :05:17.Russell told we would get some plans for local Government and it would

:05:18. > :05:21.get unveiled in advance of local council elections with perhaps I'll

:05:22. > :05:27.be met for local councils to promote economic growth. That untruth was

:05:28. > :05:31.it. I think people may say if you really are going to put yourself

:05:32. > :05:39.forward as a Government of Scotland that seemed like rather thin gruel.

:05:40. > :05:44.Meanwhile we had not one but two bytes, two passages in the speech

:05:45. > :05:47.including at the end in which the opposition leader focused on the

:05:48. > :05:52.issue of the independence debate. And I suspect that some people also

:05:53. > :05:57.say in the wake of this conference you keep on saying to us that Nicola

:05:58. > :06:01.Sturgeon is obsessing about independence. But maybe this is an

:06:02. > :06:05.obsession that is also shared by the opposition because you certainly

:06:06. > :06:10.seemed to keep on talking about it. Raps exhibition for that is the

:06:11. > :06:13.sense that debate has taken off again it is the Conservative Party

:06:14. > :06:16.finally beginning to revive and I think the Conservative Party is

:06:17. > :06:21.delighted that Nicola Sturgeon has raised this issue again because it

:06:22. > :06:23.is providing them with an opportunity given labours witnessed

:06:24. > :06:28.to try to become the pre-eminent party of the union in Scotland. We

:06:29. > :06:32.notice taking votes from the Labour Party in particular and therefore

:06:33. > :06:36.may be the truth is that this constant ability of the

:06:37. > :06:40.Conservatives to keep Bond criticising Nicola Sturgeon unissued

:06:41. > :06:44.sues the political purposes. So it could be a reason for them to keep

:06:45. > :06:47.raising it. She said in a speech that she did not want to raise it

:06:48. > :06:52.and she would be quite happy never to have to speak about it again but

:06:53. > :06:56.she did bring it up again and again. The remarkable thing about this

:06:57. > :07:00.conference is it is almost as though the Conservative Party in Scotland

:07:01. > :07:04.is assuming that indeed at some point, maybe in the SNP conference

:07:05. > :07:10.in two weeks' time later, Nicola Sturgeon will request the powers to

:07:11. > :07:13.hold a referendum should be passed to the Scottish Parliament and she

:07:14. > :07:17.is minded to hold one at some point the next two or three years. They

:07:18. > :07:22.are already putting in the lines of argument against that. Of course

:07:23. > :07:25.that makes it even more remarkable that as you head on the speech

:07:26. > :07:31.apparently we're told that the Conservatives say no. But when they

:07:32. > :07:35.harassed you block a second referendum they say we're not

:07:36. > :07:39.telling you. How much longer the party can continue to say they are

:07:40. > :07:44.opposed to a referendum but not actually say we will stop it, at

:07:45. > :07:50.some point the thread of credibility of those two arguments may just

:07:51. > :07:53.begin to suffer. I said at the beginning of the summation in the

:07:54. > :08:00.way that she did bask in the legible success but she did say it is time

:08:01. > :08:05.to move on from that. It's over the applause they are that she is a very

:08:06. > :08:09.popular leader. Ruth Davidson has proven to be a remarkably successful

:08:10. > :08:14.Conservative. It has taken 20 years for the Conservative Party to come

:08:15. > :08:18.out of that disastrous defeat in the 1997 general election that left with

:08:19. > :08:22.no MPs in Scotland. Finally it has begun to happen. We should not

:08:23. > :08:28.overestimate and is still only have 22 or 23% of the vote which is less

:08:29. > :08:31.than a in the 1992 general election the truth as opinion polls and then

:08:32. > :08:36.suggest the party have made further progress since last year and

:08:37. > :08:40.certainly we had a poll on local Government election voting

:08:41. > :08:44.intentions. Five years ago the Conservatives only got 13% of the

:08:45. > :08:49.board. That Paul suggestively created double that figure and the

:08:50. > :08:51.local Government by-elections have been recording double-figure

:08:52. > :08:55.increases in Conservative support of the last 12 months. This is the

:08:56. > :09:00.party much better fettle than it ever has been and it is doing quite

:09:01. > :09:05.nicely out of the continuing constitutional debate but the more

:09:06. > :09:08.it wants to move on from being the opposition to the SNP, which isn't

:09:09. > :09:15.true for that speech was primarily the tone of, to being the Government

:09:16. > :09:18.of Scotland, the more detail will have to provide about what will be

:09:19. > :09:23.the policies as the Scottish Government. I don't think Ruth Davis

:09:24. > :09:30.and answer the question she set out for yourself at the beginning of a

:09:31. > :09:40.speech. -- Ruth Davidson. Back to Brian across the river. I am joined

:09:41. > :09:51.by Annie Wells, the Marks Spencer 's MSP. Other retailers are

:09:52. > :09:56.available. And Jackson. Add a view of education and a review of health.

:09:57. > :09:59.As the not presumptuous? I think we have to prepare ourselves for

:10:00. > :10:04.Government and the SNP have done nothing about either of them. We are

:10:05. > :10:09.filling in both so we really need to be doing something to show them

:10:10. > :10:17.we're serious. It is about preparing for Government? I think the one

:10:18. > :10:22.issue that is registered with the public is that the something wrong

:10:23. > :10:26.with education. The SNP say something and expect to sell to

:10:27. > :10:32.agree. On health we are failing and we need to involve practitioners and

:10:33. > :10:36.people who know what is happening in the health service ever to have a

:10:37. > :10:41.sustainable NHS going forward. What sort of areas are you talking about

:10:42. > :10:46.an education? Ruth made clear that we have had difficulty with the

:10:47. > :10:50.curriculum for excellence. Some seek to abolish it. We do not want that

:10:51. > :10:55.and teachers do not one that top-down thing again. We have to put

:10:56. > :10:59.the knowledge the acquisition of knowledge and skills back at the top

:11:00. > :11:04.and we need to see the attainment gap closed. Nicola has thought long

:11:05. > :11:09.about it but failed to deliver. The attainment gap continues to broaden.

:11:10. > :11:14.I appreciate you are setting up a review but give me the answer no to

:11:15. > :11:18.what changes on health. I think we're doing the right thing getting

:11:19. > :11:23.general practitioners involved in getting people who know what we need

:11:24. > :11:28.from the NHS. It is about an independent review. We are making

:11:29. > :11:30.sure we're using our NHS professionals to the best of our

:11:31. > :11:35.ability and providing them with the best tools to do that. We can't just

:11:36. > :11:39.say the NHS is brilliant. We know the staff work brilliantly but we

:11:40. > :11:44.need to make sure we are using them correctly. In general terms on these

:11:45. > :11:47.core public services the Scottish Government say they are putting an

:11:48. > :11:50.additional resources and reckless spending on health and targeting

:11:51. > :11:55.money on education directly to schools. They are trying and making

:11:56. > :11:59.an effort. Use of they are throwing money at it but we don't see what

:12:00. > :12:03.they will do with that money. They say they are giving the money

:12:04. > :12:09.directly to schools. What is wrong with that? We support that but the

:12:10. > :12:13.not changing the attainment gap. All they are saying is that this money.

:12:14. > :12:27.We need structure because the curriculum for excellence is not

:12:28. > :12:34.working as it is. Jackson Curlew? They are being too slow. Always need

:12:35. > :12:37.to see a whole model primary care. Bringing in a pharmacist at the

:12:38. > :12:40.front end people do not feel they have to just go to accident and

:12:41. > :12:45.emergency when they're not feeling well. This has been a case of slow,

:12:46. > :12:50.complacent, no future workforce planning. It is almost as if the SNP

:12:51. > :12:56.Government didn't imagine being in power as long as they have. I think

:12:57. > :12:59.ten years as an appropriate time to assess how they are performing and

:13:00. > :13:02.it is clear that public services in Scotland are not benefiting from

:13:03. > :13:05.their involvement because the real interest is not about that. The real

:13:06. > :13:12.interest is about the division of the country. Let's talk about

:13:13. > :13:16.independence. Ruth Davidson made lengthy references to that. Nicola

:13:17. > :13:18.Sturgeon we see it as you lot that obsess about independence and she's

:13:19. > :13:25.talking about education and health and economy. If education and the

:13:26. > :13:30.health and economy is what she is talking about she's not doing

:13:31. > :13:35.anything about it. Independence is what the SNP are, one party policy.

:13:36. > :13:41.Nobody wants it and she's using it as a tool. Nobody wants? When you

:13:42. > :13:46.chat the doors people say they are fed up with referendum and that

:13:47. > :13:52.appetite for it. They want to see the SNP getting on with things and

:13:53. > :13:55.fixing education health in Scotland. Jackson, is that because they have

:13:56. > :14:04.had the life terrified out of them by the Brexit decision which your

:14:05. > :14:07.party instigated? We held a referendum and 30% of SNP voters

:14:08. > :14:12.voted for Brexit. That means more SNP double voted for better than

:14:13. > :14:17.supporters of any other party. They are now being a limited by the rural

:14:18. > :14:21.leader. We respect the democratic result. I said if we lost the

:14:22. > :14:24.referendum on independence and to those of 14 I wouldn't mind the

:14:25. > :14:32.barricades to fight for the best possible deal for Scotland. I would

:14:33. > :14:38.have respected the decision. -- 2014. This was a referendum for the

:14:39. > :14:43.whole of the United Kingdom and the whole of United Kingdom decided that

:14:44. > :14:47.I think the of Scotland is the mag understand that. It is not how they

:14:48. > :14:50.wanted a referendum to go and I think the challenge is huge but the

:14:51. > :14:57.only way we will make a success of it is of the Scottish Government

:14:58. > :15:01.works with the UK Government. Why don't you simply announce you will

:15:02. > :15:05.be till referendum using your UK power to do so? I think the

:15:06. > :15:13.important thing to say to Scotland and to Nicola Sturgeon is that she

:15:14. > :15:19.is at it. They understand that is no excuse and no necessity for a

:15:20. > :15:24.referendum and despite what she says none of a mandate for it. The people

:15:25. > :15:31.of Scotland make clear in opinion polls they're not interested.

:15:32. > :15:47.No mandate? The last time I checked they got a big vote there is no

:15:48. > :15:50.mandate for it whatsoever. We need to tell them to do the job we add

:15:51. > :15:56.them to do and we will get on with what we need to do in a buzzing. On

:15:57. > :16:00.Monday, they might see in 2040 the people of Scotland will were told

:16:01. > :16:05.all the way to stay in the EU is to vote for the United Kingdom -- on

:16:06. > :16:10.the issue of mandate, they might say. That big fat book on Scotland's

:16:11. > :16:17.future, if you would do that it says, if the Conservatives win,

:16:18. > :16:21.there will be a referendum on the EU and we may be taken out. They argue

:16:22. > :16:25.the people of the UK might vote to leave, and they also said it was a

:16:26. > :16:33.once-in-a-lifetime, once in a generational, port. In my lifetime I

:16:34. > :16:38.generation was 25 years or so -- once in a generational vote. We need

:16:39. > :16:43.to say, enough of this. We need to focus on issues that matter to

:16:44. > :16:47.Scotland, not independence. Thank you both. Back to the studio. Thank

:16:48. > :16:50.you very much. The conference has been hearing an appeal for better

:16:51. > :16:57.care for those under 65 who suffer from dementia. Campaigning on the

:16:58. > :17:15.half of her late husband Frank, the former Dundee United player, his

:17:16. > :17:20.wife has been involved in the campaign to introduce what the

:17:21. > :17:25.Conservatives called Frank's Law. We Can No Year From Mrs Capell. I Am A

:17:26. > :17:30.Bit Emotional As You Can Understand but thank you for giving me the

:17:31. > :17:35.opportunity to address the conference. If dementia had never

:17:36. > :17:43.come to our door, neither Frank nor I would know anything about the

:17:44. > :17:49.disease. I witnessed first-hand Frank's daily battle, a battle for

:17:50. > :17:53.his life. A battle both he and I knew he was never going to win. It

:17:54. > :17:56.was at this time we learned about the discrimination against

:17:57. > :18:03.when we found ourselves in an uphill battle with bureaucracy because of

:18:04. > :18:11.the age on his birth certificate -- discrimination against under 65s.

:18:12. > :18:16.Free personal care begins at 65, and because he was younger we were told

:18:17. > :18:21.he would be charge. We were asked if he could hang on until he was 65 and

:18:22. > :18:27.it would be free. How many more people, no longer with us, like

:18:28. > :18:35.Frank Capell, Neil McNab, Lee Berti, Hugh Trainer, to name but a few, now

:18:36. > :18:42.just statistics, who sadly broke the rules and were discriminated against

:18:43. > :18:49.because of their age? How many more people under the age of 65 in

:18:50. > :18:53.Scotland today are dealing with those who are still with us? I

:18:54. > :18:56.repeat it would be a small proportion Frank's law would help in

:18:57. > :19:00.order to live with the dignity and respect for the short time that they

:19:01. > :19:09.need help, but I am asking that funding be shared out in there, just

:19:10. > :19:15.and equal way. -- in a fair, just and equal way. When we were

:19:16. > :19:20.discussing the campaign a few years ago, Frank turned to me and said,

:19:21. > :19:28.tell them, Amanda, it is too late for me but it will help others in

:19:29. > :19:32.the future. Well, frankly, I promised you that day that I would

:19:33. > :19:36.tell them, and I have been telling them, and thank goodness many are

:19:37. > :19:43.now listening, because they realise how vitally important it is that

:19:44. > :19:48.Frank's law is delivered -- well, Frankie. Right, no let's go back

:19:49. > :19:54.over the river to Brian once again at the Armadillo. Thanks very much

:19:55. > :19:57.indeed. I am joined by three representatives who have been

:19:58. > :20:05.following the debates. Thanks very much for joining me. Let's do a

:20:06. > :20:09.simple question first of all. What did you make of Ruth Davidson's

:20:10. > :20:13.speech? As usual she was brilliant, very clear and concise. She showed

:20:14. > :20:17.us that we don't want another referendum and she will fight for

:20:18. > :20:24.it. She was pretty blunt, wasn't she? . She was fantastic and that is

:20:25. > :20:27.exactly what we need, someone to stand up to the SNP, tell them we

:20:28. > :20:32.don't want another independence referendum and someone who can put

:20:33. > :20:37.forward a plan for Scotland. Was she a little cheeky about David Cameron,

:20:38. > :20:42.I quite liked the previous guy, she said, but the new Prime Minister has

:20:43. > :20:46.got it all? I we have a fantastic in Ruth Davidson as the leader of the

:20:47. > :20:52.Scottish Conservatives and Theresa May as the Prime Minister of the

:20:53. > :20:56.United Kingdom, working together, strong leadership in Westminster and

:20:57. > :21:02.the Scottish Parliament, and that is why people voted in May for 31 MSTs

:21:03. > :21:04.and that is what we are delivering. Is it clear that Conservatives can

:21:05. > :21:09.present themselves as a party of government in Scotland? Is that

:21:10. > :21:17.credible? Your rivals would say absolutely not. Absolutely. I think

:21:18. > :21:22.the people give huge confidence the us in May, 31 MSPs, more than anyone

:21:23. > :21:26.predicted. I think Ruth is on the rise, a fantastic leader, and I

:21:27. > :21:30.think we have no concern that as of 2021 she will absolutely be fighting

:21:31. > :21:34.for that First Minister seat and I think we will have a huge contingent

:21:35. > :21:38.in Scotland behind her. Where do you take those votes from? OK, a good

:21:39. > :21:44.result last May, but the SNP are still way ahead of you will stop

:21:45. > :21:48.there is a huge breadth of Scotland that could vote Scottish

:21:49. > :21:52.Conservative, former Labour members who realise the Labour Party is

:21:53. > :21:56.incompetent and cannot hold the SNP to account, or the former SNP voters

:21:57. > :21:59.who realise the SNP and business rates, education, health and

:22:00. > :22:03.business, they are not doing the right things for Scotland. For

:22:04. > :22:07.yourself, is a credible and serious? Ceramic yes, we have a fantastic

:22:08. > :22:12.team and I think the local elections will improve the team we will get.

:22:13. > :22:17.Let's speak about the policies mentioned by Ruth Davidson in her

:22:18. > :22:23.speech -- yes, we have a fantastic team. In general terms, towards

:22:24. > :22:26.public services, what different approach would you be taking that

:22:27. > :22:30.would set it apart? What is currently being done has been done

:22:31. > :22:35.for some time. We will not be distracted by one other issue,

:22:36. > :22:42.independence. They say it is you guys obsessed about it, the SNP say

:22:43. > :22:45.that. No way. We will get on with the day job with a fantastic team

:22:46. > :22:50.and common-sense. What difference might we see in the public service?

:22:51. > :22:53.The SNP had been in government for ten years and young children in

:22:54. > :22:56.Scotland are two years behind their English counterparts and they have

:22:57. > :23:01.the sole responsible for this. The SNP take power away from councils

:23:02. > :23:04.and won everything from the centre but we need a more collaborative

:23:05. > :23:11.approach that asks parents and teachers what they need... But they

:23:12. > :23:14.are diverting ?120 million directly into the hands of headteachers with

:23:15. > :23:16.government review to come that will probably do even more in that

:23:17. > :23:20.direction, the opposite of centralisation? The new regional

:23:21. > :23:23.boards they are proposing would step powers away from councils and

:23:24. > :23:27.centralise it even further away. The SNP have a tendency to strip local

:23:28. > :23:30.authorities of any ability to run local affairs and they do not trust

:23:31. > :23:33.local people to do that, they centralise the power. They would say

:23:34. > :23:38.they are giving it to the schools rather than local councils? Would

:23:39. > :23:42.you prefer the council to run everything rather than the

:23:43. > :23:46.headteacher? I think the best thing is to review what is happening.

:23:47. > :23:49.Standards are going backwards in Scotland. The Curriculum for

:23:50. > :23:53.Excellence, we need to look at how it is being run. Christine, I am

:23:54. > :23:57.hearing a diagnosis of the problems but what I am not hearing is an

:23:58. > :24:03.overall philosophical approach to the changes you would like to make

:24:04. > :24:06.in public services? I think the Scottish Conservatives, Ruth

:24:07. > :24:09.Davidson in her speech today, and as mentioned here, the Curriculum for

:24:10. > :24:12.Excellence, that has huge implications on the education system

:24:13. > :24:16.and the statistics show that. The SNP cannot hide away from it. Nicola

:24:17. > :24:20.Sturgeon has tried to put John Swinney at the helm of that and saw

:24:21. > :24:25.some funding there but she does not have a strategy behind it and I

:24:26. > :24:27.think that is what the Scottish Conservatives are going into

:24:28. > :24:31.in-depth -- and through some funding. On independence, if you are

:24:32. > :24:35.so much against the referendum do you think the UK Government should

:24:36. > :24:40.say no and exercise the veto, which they have the power to do? It is not

:24:41. > :24:45.about whether we could have another referendum, it is whether we should

:24:46. > :24:48.have. When you are on the doorstep, Brian, that is not what people want.

:24:49. > :24:53.We are campaigning... Why don't you reassure... Why don't you reassure

:24:54. > :24:59.them by saying we will be to unblock it? They are not getting a section

:25:00. > :25:02.30, they can whistle for it. Why not? We are going out campaigning

:25:03. > :25:08.and Scottish people do not want another referendum. Then why not to

:25:09. > :25:11.veto it? Is standing up for the people of Scotland, she is trying

:25:12. > :25:20.hard within the Scottish Parliament to make sure the Scottish people are

:25:21. > :25:23.heard -- Ruth is standing up. So it is about pre-empting rather than

:25:24. > :25:27.using the power you have as a UK Government party? We need to say we

:25:28. > :25:30.do not want a second independence referendum and that is our platform.

:25:31. > :25:34.The people of Scotland don't want it and are fed up with it. Less than a

:25:35. > :25:40.third of Scottish voters want the of that, to go through that again. It

:25:41. > :25:43.is time it is taken off like a table by Nicola Sturgeon. But she will see

:25:44. > :25:47.the people of Scotland were conned in 2014, they were told the way to

:25:48. > :25:52.stay in the European Union was to stay in the UK at exactly the

:25:53. > :25:55.opposite has been the case? That is nonsense. I voted to leave and a

:25:56. > :26:01.million people in Scotland voted to leave... An awful lot more people

:26:02. > :26:05.voted to remain. But it was a UK wide vote. But in the referendum in

:26:06. > :26:12.2014 people were precisely explicitly told to vote to stay in

:26:13. > :26:14.the UK to stay in Europe. But the SNP threatened, you know, the

:26:15. > :26:17.Conservatives will hold a referendum on the European Union, we might

:26:18. > :26:23.leave it. People voted in 2014 knowing there could be a referendum.

:26:24. > :26:36.Your party said, it is all right, it is fine, the way to stay in, the way

:26:37. > :26:45.to leave is devote to stay in the UK, and to ... It was a UK wide

:26:46. > :26:49.vote, UK wide decision. Thank you, all three, very much indeed for

:26:50. > :26:53.joining me here. Back to this the deal. Brian, thank you very much for

:26:54. > :26:56.your efforts from the Clyde Auditorium. More thoughts from

:26:57. > :26:59.Professor John Curtice industry. Hearing from one of the guests

:27:00. > :27:04.there, the people of Scotland do not want another referendum. What is

:27:05. > :27:07.your analysis of that, what are the polls suggesting? Double-mac I think

:27:08. > :27:10.it is interesting on the one hand that Conservatives are saying it is

:27:11. > :27:20.overwhelming that people in Scotland do not want second referendum --

:27:21. > :27:23.yes, I think it is interesting. But perhaps the polls are telling us

:27:24. > :27:25.public opinion in Scotland is not so overwhelmingly opposed as has been

:27:26. > :27:28.portrayed in the last 40 hours. A number of polls on this giving

:27:29. > :27:33.people a straight choice. Just over 50% say no, they should not be won,

:27:34. > :27:39.but over 30% say, yes, there should. More subtle question. Should there

:27:40. > :27:42.be referendum now, should there be one leave the EU, should there be

:27:43. > :27:47.one at all? When you ask that you discover the first two MacBooks,

:27:48. > :27:50.actually about half the Scottish population, and the truth is the

:27:51. > :27:52.argument is an argument amongst those who support independence as to

:27:53. > :27:58.whether they should have the referendum now or after we leave the

:27:59. > :28:05.EU -- you discover the first two questions. You find Scotland is as

:28:06. > :28:07.divided on this as whether it wants independence in the first place and

:28:08. > :28:11.I think the reason the Scottish Government will not say they will --

:28:12. > :28:15.UK Government will not say they will veto it is because as a result it

:28:16. > :28:19.might drive some people into the independence camp. And things might

:28:20. > :28:23.become clear at the SNP conference in a couple of weeks' time? Yes, we

:28:24. > :28:27.will look forward to that with considerable interest to see what,

:28:28. > :28:30.if anything, Nicola Sturgeon now says about holding a second

:28:31. > :28:44.independence referendum. I think whether you are for or against

:28:45. > :28:47.independence, the country will to some degree be holding its breath

:28:48. > :28:49.with bated breath for that SNP conference. John, thank you for

:28:50. > :28:51.joining us this afternoon. There is more from the Scottish Conservative

:28:52. > :28:53.Party Conference in tomorrow's Sunday Politics at 11am. We are back

:28:54. > :28:55.with live coverage of the Scottish Lib Dems. Goodbye for now.

:28:56. > :28:59.The Chancellor, Philip Hammond, presents the first Budget of 2017.

:29:00. > :29:02.What will it mean for you and your family's finances?

:29:03. > :29:06.Join me, Huw Edwards, for live coverage and expert analysis.

:29:07. > :29:16.The Budget 2017 - what will be the impact on your pocket?

:29:17. > :29:20.Pittodrie Stadium is the venue for Scottish Cup quarterfinal action.

:29:21. > :29:24.Partick Thistle travel to the Granite City

:29:25. > :29:27.with a place in the semifinals at stake.