Exclusive: New Scottish Tory MPs have transformed House of Commons, says Theresa May

The new intake of Scottish Conservative MPs have had a transformative impact on the House of Commons, according to Theresa May.

Writing exclusively for Holyrood ahead of the Scottish Conservative conference, the Prime Minister highlighted the role of the new Scottish Tory MPs in “helping to deliver a freeze in whisky duty, additional help for the oil industry, and clearing up the SNP’s mess on police and fire VAT”.

She also outlined her determination for Scotland to “make the most of the new opportunities” brought by Brexit, pointing to the chance to grow the fishing industry after the UK leaves the Common Fisheries Policy and to find new markets for exports.

While the Conservatives lost their majority after May called a snap election last year, the party made gains north of the border, boosting their number of MPs from one to 13.

Pointing to the 31 seats won at the 2016 Scottish Parliament election, the 13 seats taken in the general election, and the party’s success in the 2017 local government election, where it won 276 seats, the PM said the conference would offer a chance to celebrate the party’s revival in Scotland.

Writing for Holyrood, the PM said: “At every level of government in Scotland, Conservatives have made gains by standing up for our principles, listening to the concerns of local people and offering a resolute defence of Scotland’s place within our United Kingdom.

“In the House of Commons, the transformation has been stark. We now have a more representative range of voices on Scottish matters, with the twelve new Scottish Conservative MPs at the forefront. They represent a diverse group of communities, from urban and suburban to rural Scotland; from Stranraer to Peterhead; and from Eyemouth to Elgin.”