‘Dead hand of nationalism has made Scotland become bitter and inward-looking’
Ross urges the silent majority to make their voices heard
DOUGLAS Ross yesterday made an appeal to Scotland’s ‘silent majority’ of voters, claiming that they could propel the Scottish Conservatives to victory at the next Holyrood election.
In his keynote speech at the party’s conference, the Highlands and Islands MSP, who also serves as MP for Moray, said the ‘dead hand of nationalism’ had led to Scotland becoming ‘bitter and inward-looking’.
The Conservative leader missed First Minister’s Questions at the Scottish Parliament on Thursday because of a throat condition but had recovered sufficiently to address delegates in Aberdeen yesterday.
He drew applause from the party faithful when he told them: ‘We need the silent majority to rediscover our voice, just like I’ve done today.’
He added: ‘There are so many people who are looking for anyone who can step up and beat them, who can remove this SNP government, who can kick Nicola Sturgeon out of Bute House. Coming second is not enough. At the end of the day, the nationalists are still in power.
‘We know there is a majority to take us forward, the same silent majority that said No to Nicola Sturgeon in 2014. Our goal must be to bring that majority together again.’
Asking if anyone would say that Scotland is a ‘better place today than when the SNP came to power’ in 2007, he said: ‘The nation I grew up in was confident and outward-looking, yet the nation my children grow up in today is far more bitter and inward-facing.
‘Scotland is becoming a smaller country every day that the SNP remains in power.’
Mr Ross had welcomed Boris Johnson to the conference on Friday afternoon, with the two men shaking hands on stage ahead of the Prime Minister’s speech.
Their meeting followed calls earlier this year from Mr Ross for the PM to step down over lockdown parties in Downing Street, a demand he withdrew last week, saying the row should be ‘put on pause’ because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Earlier, Scottish Secretary Alister Jack had told delegates: ‘We have a tenacious leader in Douglas Ross leading the charge and holding Nicola Sturgeon’s SNP-Green government to account for their dismal catalogue of failure, not least for their complete refusal to support local councils and the vital services they provide and we all rely on.’
He also attacked SNP-Green policy on North Sea oil and gas, saying: ‘There must be a future for oil and gas as we transition to net zero. It is astonishing we have a Scottish Government that is opposed to developing our own oil and gas resources.
‘That’s the price Nicola Sturgeon has paid for putting the Greens into power. Fortunately, oil and gas is the responsibility of the UK Government, so Scotland will not have to pay the price for her misguided move.’
A poll last week put the Conservatives in third place, behind Scottish Labour. The same survey found that 59 per cent of Scots want preparations for a second independence referendum put on hold over the war in Ukraine.
Responding to Mr Ross’s speech, Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: ‘The Tories are a gift for an SNP that is failing Scotland.’ Kirsten Oswald, the SNP’s deputy Westminster leader, said: ‘Douglas Ross’s entire leadership of the Scottish Conservative Party has been characterised by flip-flopping and negativity. It looks like we can now add lack of self-awareness to that list as well.’