It’s been a tumultuous week in Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party politics since Jackson Carlaw CBE MSP unexpectedly resigned as Leader last Thursday. As someone who has had the privilege of first working for Jackson in the mid-1990s and then converting that into a great friendship I was both surprised and unsurprised by his decision to relinquish the leadership.
It was a typically selfless act of someone who has never said no to any request that Party has ever made - from election night results programs to supper clubs in Kirkwall, always there, resolute. Much has been said about him only being Leader since mid-February forgetting he was acting leader from September 2018 covering Ruth Davidson’s maternity leave with only a short break when she resumed her duties for 4 months before deciding leadership was not for her anymore.
But the past is the past and it looks like Jackson’s selfless actions have unleashed a tremendous force and broken the logjam of the COVID-19 interregnum where normal politics were suffocated by the statist control of the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon.
Step forward Douglas Ross MP - honest, passionate, patriotic, fresh and fiercely independent. At 37 he’s got the dynamism, if successful, to dominate Scottish politics for decades.
And as removed as I from Scottish politics as I am now here are the 7 things I think Douglas Ross should consider;
1 There can only be ONE leader - that’s going to be Douglas Ross MP. ‘Running mates’ don’t have a place in British politics. Ruth Davidson will be a canny and experienced proxy for Douglas in the Scottish Parliament’s chamber but that should be the beginning and end of her remit. A loyal and supportive deputy who will fire the bullets that he shapes. Keeping his seat warm in the Scottish Parliament before she benefits from the warmth of ermine next May.
2 Make use of the UK Majority of 80 - when Ruth is inside the debating chamber eviscerating Nicola Sturgeon at First Minister’s Questions, Douglas should be outside briefing the media, taking questions. Those Tory MSPs will be his to manage and lead. This can’t be done by proxy. He will also have time to engage the organisations, communities and businesses sorely neglected by the SNP. Douglas’ best friends will be the sleeping car attendants of the Caledonian Sleeper.
3 Clean House - there are currently MSPs who have neither the intellect or the discipline to work as a team. They should not stand next May. Douglas needs to ruthlessly revise and replenish the candidate list and pick winners not just for this next term but the one after. The Scottish Parliament would be a very different place had he and John Lamont MP not relinquished their recently won seats having subsequently won victory at Westminster. Succession planning needs to be habitual.
4 Policy Matters - on Monday we wakened up to read of Douglas’ determination to deliver a jobs plan for Scotland. It’s a measure of his mind and ambitions that he sees policy as the way to win over Scottish hearts and minds. Simply rerunning pro and anti separation lines is not the answer. Strong, relevant and distinctive policies which transform Scotland from being a country which is shackled to whatever Edinburgh decides. Minds like Murdo Fraser’s need to be tapped and the leader needs his own well resourced and independent policy unit.
5 Stop Westminister transferring powers to the Scottish Parliament - it’s time for real devolution and that means direct to every community, family and individual. COVID-19 and the initiatives of the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer brought home the power and the efficiency of money and assistance going direct to point of need and not via a Scottish Executive which delayed and diluted. The Scottish Parliament needs to do less but do it better. It should become smaller and more efficient, the administration should shrink not grow.
6 Rejuvenate the Office of Secretary of State for Scotland - despite the best efforts of the incumbent, Rt Hon Alister Jack MP, this is a role which has long since been boxed-in. Arguably, throughout COVID-19 the daily briefings should have been given by both the First Minister and Secretary of State, neatly covering off UK and Scottish matters at the same time, on the same platform. But that opportunity has gone.
And this is where I have my boldest recommendation - appoint Douglas as Secretary of State for Scotland. The leader of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party sitting at the UK Cabinet representing Scotland now !
7 Maintain the Dual Mandate - Douglas has indicated that he will, if elected next May to the Scottish Parliament retain his Westminster seat. Quite right too. Dual mandates should be encouraged. They pull the parliaments together and strengthen the Union not weaken it. And it should stand for the Lords as well, after a few ‘knock about’ sessions perhaps Lady Ruth can even be tempted to stay.
This all feels very exciting. A week truly is a long time in politics. The same-old, same-old ways have gone. It’s time to shake things up and keep shaking them.
About the Author
Mark was involved in Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party from 1987 - 1998 as member, Parliamentary Researcher, Special Advisor and Parliamentary Candidate (1997). He maintains an interest.