Scottish Conservative split from UK party put to conference

A motion has been put to Scottish Conservative conference calling for the party to drop its affiliation from the UK Conservative party.

Party member James Robb has submitted the motion for consideration, which calls for the party to amend its constitution to remove affiliation to The Conservative and Unionist Party of the United Kingdom.

Holyrood understands that Robb is the former SNP Argyll and Bute councillor who resigned from the party after being deselected in 2017.

Under Robb’s proposal, the Scottish Conservative constitution would commit to pursue “Scotland's best interests, commitment to Scotland's continuing membership of the United Kingdom and appropriate support for Conservative government of the United Kingdom.”

A Scottish Conservative spokesman said the party would not comment on internal business.

The motion is unlikely to be selected for debate, but it follows reports that the Scottish Conservatives are considering its relationship with the UK party in the wake of splits over Brexit.

In 2017 leader Ruth Davidson described Daily Telegraph reports party aides were looking at a split as “B****cks”.

“Folk might remember I fought a leadership election on the other side of that particular argument…” she tweeted.

Last week the National reported the prospect of a Boris Johnson leadership could resurrect the idea.