RUTH’S RALLYING CRY FOR BRITAIN

Scots Tory leader’s electrifying plea for party to end in-fighting and unite behind May – as calls grow for HER to be the next PM

RUTH Davidson yesterday issued a rallying cry for Tories to ‘unite and fight’ behind Theresa May as she attacked the division surrounding the party’s leadership.

In an electrifying conference speech, the Scottish Conservative leader said it was time her party got together to take on Jeremy Corbyn, claiming he would come ‘crashing down to earth’ – just like the SNP.

She also demanded that Scotland benefit more from being part of the Union, with a call for more government jobs to be relocated north.

Her passionate plea came as senior Conservative members continued to back her as the next leader. The MSP claimed she has ‘no plans’ to move to London – but refused to rule out a future leadership bid.

Miss Davidson’s call to the party faithful

came on the first day of the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, where:

In a rare display of emotion, Mrs May held Miss Davidson’s hand aloft at a Scots reception and declared: ‘Together we saved the Union’;

Mrs May apologised to party activists for calling the snap election in June and for the disastrous campaign that cost the Tories their Commons majority;

Ministers confirmed they had warned the PM she risked being ‘discourteous’ to the Queen in her rush to form a government after the election;

The British Chambers of Commerce issued a stark warning to ministers to stop squabbling about Brexit, saying firms ‘expect competence and coherence from ministers;

Senior Tories revealed Mrs May is now confident trade talks with the EU will start by Christmas.

Miss Davidson delivered her rousing conference speech yesterday after refusing to rule out one day taking over as Conservative leader.

She said members must stop the infighting which is fuelling speculation over Mrs May’s political future and should instead ‘unite and fight’ behind the Prime Minister to burst the Corbyn bubble.

And she claimed the Tories could see off Jeremy Corbyn the same way they had routed the SNP. She said: ‘Just as the SNP came crashing down to earth. Just as they lost 40 per cent of their seats in June. Just as half a million Scots chose to take their vote away. So too can the Corbyn bubble burst.’

But Miss Davidson said that if the Conservatives are to succeed in fighting off Labour advances the party must pull together behind Mrs May. She said: ‘It’s time for us all – all of us – to unite and fight. Unite and fight for this country we are proud to serve.’

Her call for unity comes as speculation over Mrs May’s position as leader continues to grow – with the Scot seen as a favourite to succeed her.

Yesterday she was asked if she would rule out ever running for leader of the UK Conservative party, and whether the Prime Minister should fire Boris Johnson. She said: ‘I’m not standing to be leader of the party,’ but failed to address any future leadership bid. She later claimed that despite loving London, she has ‘no plans to move there’.

According to one senior Conservative source the MSP is key to attracting voters to the party across the UK. The source said: ‘We have no one like Ruth, she is great and people respond to her.’

Last week a YouGov poll of Conservative Party members found that 58 per cent thought Miss Davidson would make a ‘good leader’, compared to 56 per cent who thought that Mr Johnson would offer good leadership.

When asked directly who ought to be the next leader, the Foreign Secretary polled 23 per cent while 19 per cent backed Miss Davidson.