Ruth may move to Commons (but only after beating SNP)
‘You don’t run, you restate your case’
By Rachel Watson Deputy Scottish Political Editor
RUTH Davidson has given the strongest signal yet she could be heading to Westminster – fuelling further speculation she may be a future UK Conservative leader.
The Scottish Tory chief suggested ‘conversations’ about a switch from Holyrood to the House of Commons could take place after the next Scottish parliament elections in 2021.
And she even discussed where she might stand in a future general election.
However, a move south of the Border would depend on election results as Miss Davidson has publicly set her sights on ousting Nicola Sturgeon and becoming the next First Minister. She has revealed she would only run for a Scottish Westminster seat rather than standing in a safe Conservative seat in England.
Speaking to The Spectator magazine about the prospect of a move, Miss Davidson said: ‘I’ve been leader of the party now for six years. My two predecessors lasted six-and-a-half years each.’ By the time of the next Holyrood elections, she would have been in charge of the party for ‘significantly longer’ than her predecessors, she said, and added: ‘Then we can start other conversations.’
Asked if those would include conversations about her heading to Westminster, she said: ‘I haven’t ruled it out. If devolution is going to work, then actually there has to be the ability to move between chambers and parliaments.’
Pressed further on whether she would only stand for a Scottish seat, Miss Davidson said: ‘Yes.’
She made the comments amid continuing speculation that she could be a future leader of the UK party following her success in transforming the fortunes of the Scottish Tories.
Under her leadership they have become the second largest party at Holyrood. And while the Conservatives in England lost seats in the June General Election, the Scottish Conservative tally of MPs rose from one to 13. The gains in Scotland at the June election secured No 10 for Theresa May and since then Miss Davidson has enjoyed a new sense of authority in the UK party.
In the interview, Miss Davidson ruled out becoming Conservative Party chairman, insisting ‘leading the party in Scotland is a bigger job than being Conservative party chairman’.
Discussing how she turned around the Tories’ prospects in Scotland, she said: ‘The party did go round saying, “I’m sorry, I’m a Conservative but…” and my argument was we had to completely change the way in which we held ourselves and start saying: “I believe in X and if you believe in X then you’re a Conservative, too”.’
Although she did not want to ‘rake over the coals’ of the June election, she appeared to take aim at Mrs May’s strategy.
She said: ‘Part of the issue is a belief that you can say the same thing every day for seven weeks and the media will just report that.’
Referring to the decision to hold the election to try to increase the Tory majority, she added: ‘Voters don’t like results being declared before they have cast their votes, thanks very much. There was a bit of a backlash there.
‘[Jeremy] Corbyn was seen as a safe receptacle because everybody had written off his chances. Well, he won’t be a safe receptacle next time.’
She insisted the Labour leader is ‘eminently beatable’.
‘We saw Nicola Sturgeon doing political rallies to 10,500 people at the Glasgow Hydro, release a signature clothing range, sell foam fingers with her name on,’ Miss Davidson said.
‘We had seen this kind of momentum build behind a seemingly unstoppable force before – then two years later, she went and lost 40 per cent because we dug in.
‘You don’t run, you just keep restating your case. And I don’t believe that Jeremy Corbyn is unstoppable. I think he’s eminently beatable in 2022.
‘People who are so afraid of him do need to get their act together and start making that case now.’