We are Conservatives, and no longer all things to all people – Bowie

The Conservatives have “stopped being all things to all people”, the party’s shadow Scottish secretary has said.

Andrew Bowie, speaking to Tory activists ahead of the Holyrood election in May, said the party knows what it stands for under UK leader Kemi Badenoch.

“We make no apologies for not anymore being all things to all people,” he told the Scottish Tory conference in Edinburgh on Friday.

“We are Conservatives and we should never apologise for that.”

In Scotland, the Conservative surge seen following the 2016 Holyrood election was attributed to then leader Ruth Davidson’s ability to woo voters from other parties, with Mr Bowie’s comments potentially being a subtle swipe at the strategy which won the Tories their best result north of the border since devolution.

He added: “For the first time in far too long, people now know what we are for – they know who we are for.

“We are for the hard-working, aspirational Scot who’s proud of his family, his community and his country – and just wants to see it do better.

“Who worries for his family’s future, who looks around his towns and villages, whose high street is empty and pub is closed.

“Who sees his country, our great country, belittled and driven down by a Labour Government in London and an SNP Government in Edinburgh who seek to divide, not unite – who don’t want Great Britain to succeed.”

Mr Bowie also used his speech – one of the first of the two-day conference – to hit out at Reform UK Scottish leader Malcolm Offord, whose party is surging in polls north of the border.

He claimed Reform seeks the “destruction” of the Tories, but he added: “Lord Offord, let me tell you – the oldest and most successful political party in the world is going nowhere.”