Ruth Davidson issues 'electoral suicide' warning over Scots Tory breakaway bid

Ruth Davidson last night issued a dire warning that a Scottish Tory breakaway from the UK party would be ‘electoral suicide’.

In a major intervention, the former Scottish Conservative leader said splitting would cause a collapse in votes and ‘alienate’ members, activists and supporters.

Her comments come after MSP Murdo Fraser, who lost to Ms Davidson in a leadership contest in 2011 when he last proposed a breakaway, renewed his call for the party at Holyrood to consider severing links with the UK Tories.

He also yesterday cast doubt on whether he will even stand in the upcoming Scottish leadership contest, following a major backlash at any attempt to revive his rejected plan.

Baroness Davidson of Lundin Links told the Mail: ‘I’ve never believed in breaking up the party. And, in Scotland, a divided party is a short route to electoral suicide.

‘Splitting apart will alienate many members, activists and supporters. 

'You’re either a Conservative and Unionist or you’re not, and I know where I stand on that. A split party is still a split party, however you slice it.’

It is the first time Ms Davidson has intervened in the latest debate about whether to split the Scottish Conservatives from the UK party.

She remains the best-known Scottish Tory politician, despite no longer being in an elected role, after guiding the party to its most successful period of electoral success in Scotland in decades.

It comes after Lord Michael Forsyth, who served as Scottish Secretary in John Major’s government, previously told the Mail that splitting from the UK party would be a ‘crazy idea’ and urged MSPs to instead focus on policies.

Despite the criticism of Mr Fraser’s position, Ms Davidson has not yet made any comment on who she wants to see become the party’s next leader.

Speaking to the Holyrood Sources podcast, Mr Fraser confirmed that he still thinks the Scottish Tories should split from the UK Tories at Holyrood elections - but that he now believes the Conservative and Unionist Party should compete north of the border at UK general elections.

He said many voters already think the party has a ‘distinct brand’ north of the Border, and added: ‘I think having a Scottish Conservative brand that is more distinct from the UK party is a positive for us...

‘I think this is about building on what people already perceive around the Conservatives in Scotland.’

He said he had ‘reflected’ on his plan a lot over the last decade and many people have questioned how he can be from a party of the Union and argue for separate representation in Scotland.

He said: ‘Actually I think the idea that if you live in Scotland you should be able to vote for a UK party that will form the UK Government actually is a really important principle.

‘So the UK Conservative Party, under the Canadian model, would still fight elections in Scotland. But it just wouldn’t fight elections to Holyrood.’

Scottish Tory MSP Miles Briggs, who is supporting Russell Findlay’s leadership bid, said: ‘I think a split party at Holyrood could be catastrophic for our prospects in the election in 2026 and the opportunity to deliver a knockout blow to this useless and failed SNP Government.

‘There is not long before that election and if we use all that time to turn inward, it could significantly limit our electoral chances.

‘I believe we would be better focused over the next 18 months on uniting around a positive policy platform and a campaign to turn the page on the constitutional divisions of the past, not a new constitution for the Conservative Party.’

Meanwhile, Mr Fraser has cast doubts on whether he will even stand in the upcoming Scottish Tory leadership contest.

Writing in the Scotsman, he said the party had haemorrhaged votes to Reform UK at the general election because its traditional voters wanted to ‘send a message of disappointment and disgust’.

He said the growth of Reform creates an ‘existential challenge’ for the Scottish Tories because it will see its vote squeezed on both sides, but said it would be a ‘serious error’ to ‘embrace the Reform agenda’.

Mr Fraser said some ‘sophisticated strategic thinking’ is needed about how the party repositions itself, but concluded: ‘There should be no barrier placed in front of candidates and visions on offer; this party, and the Scottish centre-right, needs to hear all the options we have to climb out of the hole we are in.

‘My vote will be going to the leadership candidate who best articulates the case for change.’

When asked if his comments meant he is not going to stand in the leadership contest, he said: ‘It means that I am not a candidate. Presently.’