Website: http://www.scottishconservatives.com

The Scottish Conservative Party is a branch office of the UK Conservative party. The Conservatives are the largest political party on the right-of-centre in the United Kingdom. Its current leader is David Cameron, who as Leader of the UK Opposition heads 'the Shadow Cabinet'.

The Conservative Party is descended from the Tory Party, one of the two ruling parties of 18th and 19th Century British Politics, and its members are still commonly referred to as Tories. Though the Conservatives were considered to be the dominant governing party in the United Kingdom for much of the 19th and 20th Centuries, since losing the 1997 election to the Labour Party under Tony Blair, they have been in 'opposition' in Parliament.

In Scotland the Scottish Unionist Party, who were independent of the Conservative and Unionist Party until 1965, were the main face of the party. Similarly the Ulster Unionist Party supported the Conservatives for many decades in the House of Commons and took the Conservative whip. However, and in contrast to Scotland, this arrangement broke down in the aftermath of the imposition of direct rule in Northern Ireland in 1972. A number of affiliated Conservative organisations, such as the grouping of Conservative electoral agents, also style themselves 'Conservative and Unionist'.

The electoral symbol of the Conservative party is a hand holding a torch. Its present motto, adopted by the Party on 6 December 2005, is Change to Win – Win for Britain. This replaces the previous slogan, Today's Britain Tomorrow's Conservatives. The official party colours are red, white and blue, though blue is most generally associated with the party in contrast to the red of the Labour Party.

The Conservatives are best remembered throughout British history for opposing every advance in workers rights and protecting the interests of their 'ain folk' ie the rich and powerful. The best example of this was Margaret Thatcher who rejected the highly popular (in Scotland at least) 'one nation' Toryism which lasted for a brief period after the second world war. Instead Thatcher said "there is no community, only individuals" and proved it by destroying numerous livelihoods in a drive for modernisation and privatisation. She is also remembered for her 'community charge' or as it came to be known the 'poll tax' which eventually provided her political epitath. Not before she had successfully divided and ruled British society however and convinced the Labour party that they could never win in Britain (or at least England) with a remotely socialist manifesto. 

This slowed under a traditional 'wet 'John Major who not only was responsible for bringing a measure of peace to Northern Ireland but who also moved to re-invest funds which had been starved by Thatcher from the NHS. Major was soon (predictably) brought to his knees by a carefully orchestrated campaign of sex and sleaze scandals somewhat similar to those engulfing TB at the moment. Blair of course sold his political soul very quickly and re-invented his party as New Tories (sorry, New Labour). He was joined in this mission by Gordon Brown a man with little sense and even less political principles.

You might easily imagine that the Conservatives are currently in power, because Tony Blair's New Labour has adopted almost all of their old policies and has aligned himself with Rupert Murdoch, however while there is little or no difference the actual Conservatives look set to return at UK level under upper crust 'blue eyed boy' David Cameron. Distantly related to the Queen, Cameron has convinced the British establishment that after Tony he can best pretend there is an actual change of Government while still representing their vested interests.

Cornwall/Kernow

It is interesting to note that the Conservatives have appointed a shadow minister for Cornwall (see Kernow page). This is of course a welcome development and any increase in the status of Cornwall has to be seen as a good thing however given the Conservatives attitude towards Scottish Home Rule and independence, it seems certain that while the Conservatives might see a chance for some new MP's in Cornwall any interest in constitutional change will be strictly limited.

Inconsistent Politics on Devolution

The Conservatives Northern Ireland spokesman is on record calling for the removal of the requirement to take the oath for Sinn Fein MP's at the Westminster Parliament (as a way of encouraging Sinn Fein to take up their seats).

However when a Scottish nationalist activist contacted the spokesman and asked whether the oath should also logically be removed from the Scottish parliament for avowed republicans the reply was "that's an interesting point but it's up to our party colleagues in Scotland".

In fact of course it is actually up to the Westminster parliament (until independence) however when this was pointed out their spokesman refused to take any action there either. What a shock!