Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Pàrtaidh Tòraidheach na h-Alba Scots Conservative an Unionist Pairty |
|
---|---|
Leader | Ruth Davidson MSP |
Chairman | Rab Forman MBE, WS |
Deputy leader | Jackson Carlaw MSP |
Founded | 1965 |
Headquarters | 67 Northumberland Street Edinburgh EH3 6JG |
Youth wing | Conservative Future Scotland |
Membership (2012) | 11,000 |
Ideology |
Conservatism British unionism Economic liberalism |
Political position | Centre-right |
National affiliation | Conservative Party |
European affiliation | Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists |
International affiliation | International Democrat Union |
European Parliament group | European Conservatives and Reformists |
Colours | Blue |
House of Commons (Scottish seats) |
13 / 59
|
Scottish Parliament |
31 / 129
|
European Parliament (Scottish seats) |
1 / 6
|
Local government in Scotland |
275 / 1,227
|
Website | |
www |
|
The Scottish Conservatives (Scottish Gaelic: Pàrtaidh Tòraidheach na h-Alba), officially the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, is the part of the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom that operates in Scotland. Describing itself as a "patriotic party of the Scottish centre-right", it is the second-largest party in the Scottish Parliament and Scottish local government. It also sends the second-largest Scottish representation to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, after the SNP in each respect.
The party is informally known as the Scottish Tories, due to the Conservative Party's historic links with the Tory Party. The leader of the Scottish Conservatives is Ruth Davidson MSP, who has held the post since 2011.
The modern Scottish Conservative Party was established in 1965 with the merger of the Unionist Party into the Conservative Party in England and Wales. The Unionist Party, as with the Conservative and Unionist Party in England and Wales, was formed in 1912 by the merger of the Conservatives and Liberal Unionists, and existed as the dominant force in Scottish politics from the 1930s to the late 1950s. While organising itself as a separate party in Scotland, Unionists took the Conservative whip in the UK Parliament, with Bonar Law and Alec Douglas-Home, then Unionist Members of Parliament becoming leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister.