Kai Suleman is National Campaign Coordinator of the Scottish Young Conservatives.
We are nearly a month on from the 2024 general election. Let’s be honest: it was a tough night for Conservative candidates across Scotland. In many seats across the central belt we were pushed to fourth place behind Reform UK, and with certain seats across the country, Reform stopped us from winning seats as we came within 1000-2000 with the SNP.
Whilst our message of ‘Vote Conservative to stop the SNP here’ works and is a message we should keep reminding voters, what we need is a leader of our party that will transform the political stage, and develop what we stand for as conservatives in Scotland. We must take the next year, in the run up to Holyrood election in 2026, to develop our party’s policy and how we can relate conservatism to people right across Scotland.
The SNP have been in Government since 2007. I was three months and three days old when Alex Salmond became First Minister; 17 years of growing up under this government has only shown me how they have failed us.
Violence in schools is up, the attainment gap has widened, our NHS is on the brink of collapse, rural Scotland has been abandoned when it comes to public services due to year on year cuts to local government, and the economy continues to lie lifeless and motionless.
It is time the Scottish Conservatives ramped up the fight against the SNP by implementing a real alternative vision for Scotland. One that will fix our education system and restore it to its previous world-leading record, an NHS fit for Scotland, and a sense of belonging and value for our rural communities. It is now time for us to prove our loyalty to our voters and show them with actions, not words, that their vote counted and their voices have been heard.
We need to show people from all backgrounds how conservatism can positively impact them and help their different scenarios. Young or old, rural Scotland or the central belt, Tories must demonstrate the positive reasons for people placing their vote and trust in our party.
As a young person I know the real issues amongst the next generation. Homeownership, taxation, public services, an NHS fit for use – these are my priorities and the priorities of other young people I speak to. Whoever becomes the next leader of our party must develop our policy on the key issues we hear on the doors, and establish what we stand for.
Showing young people that our party cares for issues that they care about, rather than the stereotypes of chaos and infighting that plague our party, is how we win the next Holyrood election. Focus on policy and what we stand for rather than trying to pander to the right to win back Reform voters, and focus on the message that we are best placed to beat the SNP.
The Scottish electorate know we are unionist, and always will be, and that in many areas across Scotland we are second place to the SNP and the only party that can beat the Nationalist incumbent. But in seats in the central belt where we aren’t in second place to the SNP we must have that alternative message, other reasons for people to vote Tory.
As the Scottish Conservative leadership election campaign slowly comes to a start, we really have a chance to grasp the opportunity to win over voters across the country by becoming a party with serious policy plans for Government. Let’s get out there and make the case for conservatism in Scotland and across Scotland: from the Borders to Glasgow, to Fort William, and Aberdeen.
