Tory leader attacks 'little Scotlanders'

Mr McLetchie attacked his political opponents

The leader of the Scottish Conservatives has launched an attack on the "little Scotlander" mentality of his political opponents.

David McLetchie told delegates at the party's annual conference in Perth that the Tories offered the only real alternative to the "consensus of the left".

And he said Labour and the Liberal Democrats had failed to address the issues which mattered to the people of Scotland.

It is time to reclaim our neighbourhoods from the criminals who destroy communities and imprison fearful people in their homes

David McLetchie
Scots Tory leader

"Instead they have invested time, effort and money on politically correct irrelevances," he said.

Mr McLetchie's keynote address to the party faithful earned him a standing ovation at Dewar's Conference Centre.

He told delegates that too many communities were blighted by vandalism and disorder.

"The difference between us and our opponents is that we Conservatives understand what needs to be done and we are prepared to take the concerted action that is necessary to make our streets safe again.

"It is time to reclaim our neighbourhoods from the criminals who destroy communities and imprison fearful people in their homes," he said.

Mr McLetchie received a standing ovation

He backed the idea of neighbourhood policing and called for more places in secure accommodation for young offenders.

He also supported a greater devolution of power to a local level in schools and the health service.

And he said that the little Scotlander mentality of the other Scottish parties was "a betrayal of our heritage".

"On both health and education it is this little Scotlander mindset, the consensus of the left, which seeks to use political power to impose solutions on people.

"We offer the real alternative which trusts people to make choices for themselves and their families," he said.

'Vote for change'

Mr McLetchie, who arrived and departed to the theme from the film Local Hero, told the conference that the 19 Tory MSPs were an effective opposition in the Scottish Parliament.

But he said the party could achieve more if more Conservative candidates were elected in a year's time.

"We have to tell people that if they want change they have to vote for change," he said.

The conference is being held in Perth

Mr McLetchie mounted a particularly strong attack on the Liberal Democrats, who he claimed had "sacrificed their principles for a seat round the cabinet table".

He described the Lib Dems as a "pale imitation" of their Labour partners in the Scottish Executive.

"We must expose their double standards throughout Scotland and hold them equally accountable with Labour for the failures of the Scottish Executive," he said.

"In particular they are letting down the rural areas that they largely represent.

"I am quite sure that the Scottish rural communities don't describe Jim Wallace's Land Reform Bill as a priority at a time when they are still recovering from foot-and-mouth."

He also attacked the Scottish National Party, describing its relaunch as the party of independence as "a pretty desperate last throw of the dice".