Tory says Holyrood election is no two-horse race
Ryan Taylor
The Tory candidate for next year’s Holyrood election has brushed off claims it will be a two-horse race between the Lib-Dems and SNP.
Cameron Smith has highlighted a Conservative “resurgence” under Scottish leader Ruth Davidson, claiming some polls put the Tories in second place.
He has dismissed a stance taken by incumbent MSP Tavish Scott, who in an electioneering paper Shetland Gazette has insisted Labour and the Tories will be left far behind in next year’s Scottish campaign.
The 28 year-old Conservative adviser, who has worked for the party in Brussels for the past six years, insists being a Tory MSP would enable him to “link directly” to Westminster Conservatives.
He also criticised the “centralised priorities” of the SNP government at Holyrood.
“If you look at how the Conservatives are doing across Scotland, you see that the Scottish Conservatives, under Ruth Davidson, are having a bit of a resurgence – a long, overdue resurgence – and are now pushing into second place in some polls.”
He added a number of long-standing Lib-Dem MPs lost their seats in last year’s General Election.
“Now it’s the challenge of all the parties to put forward their views and the electorate will make their decision.”
• See tomorrow’s Shetland Times for more details.
John Tulloch
Mr Smith is right, it’s far from certain to be a “two-horse race”.
Brian Smith
UKIP have no hope, John.
paul barlow
silly boy.
John Irvine
I hear that one of the party`s are going to put forward as their candidate a grumpy looking version of santa claus who`s forgotten to put in his false teeth.
I cant see him doing very well!
John Tulloch
Beauty is only skin deep, so they say, John.
But the policies and actions of political parties and candidates betray their hearts.
Simon Sinclair
Tories won’t ever get in in Shetland or 99% of Scotland for that matter, after Thatcher destroyed manufacturing they don’t have a chance. it’s pointless standing a candidate here. Why they even bother is beyond me.
Which is actually rather strange as some of the most well known tories- including Gordon Brown, Tony Blair and IDS- are Scottish.
The Conservatives have proven again and again they don’t care about Scotland, because they can’t win there. So why should they bother.
iantinkler
Strange you should say that “The Conservatives have proven again and again they don’t care about Scotland, because they can’t win there. So why should they bother.”. Simon Sinclair is that not what the SNP are doing with regard to Shetland. Truly there is nothing original under the sun. They have even taken a leaf from the Cameron, Osborne hymn sheet and given an old Etonian as a candidate.