The Scottish Tory party leader gave her keynote speech to party conference in Glasgow outlining her vision of the union and Scotland’s place in it
THE SCOTTISH TORIES are aiming to become the Scottish government and replace SNP say Scottish Tory leader.
Ruth Davidson told the Scottish party faithful in Glasgow that her party will be “up for a fight” and that her party is the “government in waiting.”
Davidson: “I’ll be honest with you conference – we’re not there yet. Not by a long shot.
“But by representing them, by serving them, we will reach that goal.
“We’re a party that aspires to govern for all of Scotland.” Ruth Davidson
“We’re not in this for us. We’re not a club. We’re a party that aspires to govern for all of Scotland.
“Party that wants to show you don’t have to pick between the old Labour-SNP establishments anymore.
“A party that says – the United Kingdom isn’t a hindrance to Scotland’s ambition, but the best way to realise it. A party that wants to champion aspiration, success, and old-fashioned Scottish get-up-and-go, and use that energy to tackle society’s most intractable problems.”
Davidson also added: “So we must now start, as a party, on that task.
“We start by setting out clearly our purpose, our vision and the reasons why we are here, asking to serve.” Ruth Davidson
“And if we look at how. We start by setting out clearly our purpose, our vision and the reasons why we are here, asking to serve.”
At the Scottish Parliament elections last year, the Scottish Tories have increased the number of seats from 17 MSPs to 31 MSPs with the SNP getting 63 MSPs overtaking the Scottish Labour party to become the opposition at Holyrood.
Also, the Scottish Tory leader said that her party would announce soon plans for a new independent advisory board on the NHS and social care that will be made up of practitioners. This will be led by the parties health spokesperson, Donald Cameron who will look into a vision of real long-term planning in the health service.
Meanwhile, Ruth Davidson has said that the education system in Scotland “simply isn’t working.”
“Knowing this: that if we want to lift children out of poverty, they have no greater aid that an education that provides them with the knowledge and facts to do so.” Ruth Davidson
Ruth Davidson has announced to the Scottish Tory party faithful that there will be a ‘root and branch’ review of Curriculum for Excellence.
Davidson said: “Here’s what we’re NOT going to do – teachers tell us they don’t want yet another top-down reform, so we don’t propose scrapping it altogether.
“But we do have to challenge the prevailing orthodoxy which has led to this collapse in standards.
“Which thinks of facts and knowledge as of secondary importance, which puts the latest fashionable theory before the basic need for a teacher to teach and which has left a generation of teachers, parents and pupils utterly confused about what is going on, or what Curriculum for Excellence even is.
“Our review will insist on a better way.
“But it is already clear: it is time to get rid of the waffle, and the theories that have failed – and restore Scotland’s reputation as providing the best education in the world.” Ruth Davidson
“Knowing this: that if we want to lift children out of poverty, they have no greater aid that an education that provides them with the knowledge and facts to do so.
“We will report back with a set of practical recommendations.
“But it is already clear: it is time to get rid of the waffle, and the theories that have failed – and restore Scotland’s reputation as providing the best education in the world.”
Commenting on her Tory rival’s speech, Scottish Labour leader, Kezia Dugdale said: “Ruth Davidson has some cheek to talk about improving education.
“And it is Ruth Davidson’s Tories who have put our Union at risk once again.” Kezia Dugdale
“It is Ruth Davidson’s Tories who have allowed Nicola Sturgeon to focus on her constitutional obsession, rather than closing the growing gap between the richest and the poorest in our schools.
“It is Ruth Davidson’s party pressing ahead with a hard Brexit that will harm our economy and hurt hard-working families while supporting tax cuts for the richest in society.
“And it is Ruth Davidson’s Tories who have put our Union at risk once again. Ruth Davidson has offered nothing but bluff and bluster to the people of Scotland. Scottish Labour believes our country is divided enough. That’s why we are firmly opposed to a second independence referendum and will never support Scottish independence.
“We believe that together we’re stronger.”
Picture courtsey of David Thomson
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