Ruth: Only Scottish Conservatives – not Scottish Labour – can take on the SNP

18 Nov 2017

In a speech at the Scottish Conservative’s autumn convention in Perth today, Ruth Davidson said that only her party has the strength to offer a credible alternative to the SNP.

As Scottish Labour picks its ninth leader since devolution today, Ruth warned that the party is “holed below the waterline.”

She said the Scottish Conservatives can appeal to “thousands of Labour voters who are looking for a party to do a job for them”, taking on the SNP.

Ruth said:

“Scottish Labour’s leadership contest has revealed a party that is divided and bitter.

“A party that, under Jeremy Corbyn, preaches social justice but practices match-fixing.

“The truth is, barring Johann Lamont, every single person who has tried to lead Scottish Labour over the last few years has either fallen on their sword or fallen short.

“Surely the lesson is – it doesn’t matter who the captain is, the ship is holed below the water line.

“And so it doesn’t matter who takes over today, Labour is a marooned on the rocks.

“It means my party must step up to do the job that people in Scotland desperately want to see: holding the SNP to account.

“To oppose the Nationalists’ obsession with independence – and to set out a mainstream alternative: improving schools, investing in services and supporting business.

“We can appeal to those thousands of Labour voters who are looking for a party to do a job for them.

“I’ve met many of them over the last couple of years – people who never thought they’ve vote Scottish Conservatives, but who now see us as the only credible Scottish alternative to the Nationalists.

“The fact is this.

“People have run out of patience with Scottish Labour’s endless infighting.

“Only the Scottish Conservatives have what it takes to remove Nicola Sturgeon from government and take Scotland forward.”