Ruth Davidson: ‘No more constitutional games if I’m the FM’

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson vows to leave “constitutional games” behind if she is Scotland’s next first minister.

Setting out her plan to replace Nicola Sturgeon in 2021, Ms Davidson will tell her party conference this afternoon the country must “get out of the trenches” of the Scottish independence and Brexit referendums.

In her keynote speech in Aberdeen, she will say: “Our message is that we can prosper now.

“That we can back our businesses, build up our institutions and give future generations the skills to take on all comers. That right here, right now, Scotland can take on the world. There’s nothing stopping us.

“At the election in 2021, here’s the choice that people will face.

“The SNP saying ‘we know we’ve had 14 years, but give us another five’, arguing that they can’t make things better without putting us all through another referendum first.

“It’s always going to be the case that their focus is on delivering that, not delivering peoples’ priorities.

“I have a more positive view of Scotland’s future. I reject their mantra that says we have to have a break up before we can possibly hope to prosper.

“As first minister, I won’t use every engagement with the UK Government as a chance to sow division. I’ll use it as a chance to deliver better government for the people who live here.

“I’ll make a firm guarantee now: If I am elected Scotland’s next first minister, there will be no more constitutional games and no more referendums.”

Ruth Davidson will set out her plan to replace Ms Sturgeon.