16 August 2012

Is this the long promised Scots Tory breakaway?

Ever since Ruth Davidson defeated Murdo Fraser for the leadership of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party rumours have circulated that elements (possibly including Fraser) were thinking of setting up a party free of London control.

Cameron's candidate, Davidson, defeated Fraser for the leadership last November in a campaign that saw Fraser and his supporters call for the abolition of the existing party and the creation of a new Scottish centre right party.

So the emergence of a party called the 'Scottish Progressives' with a rather slick website is an interesting development.

The Progressives in Scotland have a long history (at least in municipal politics) and had dozens of councillors in Scotland's main cities as late as the 1970s.  This latest incarnation claims to be a continuation of that tradition - but its policy positions appear more 1980s student union.

It will be interesting to see whether the Scottish Progressives attract any of the Fraserites or if they are just another right wing faction - albeit with a nice website...

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