The tories are living in cloud cookoo land ..... they will lose seats.

Margaret Thatcher did indeed have a large makeover before becoming Prime Minister. Her clothes, accessories and even her shrill voice was altered to "fit" a leader. Her policies still remained shrill but she did change British politics forever.
A Scottish Tory is something akin to a Manx cat; there's something just not right about it.

Hamish, come on, you don't expect any of that to happen. Tories to take Perth - I wonder what William Hill would give you on that. An extra seat in Central - I'll give you 8 to 1 on that myself. Put your money where your newspaper is. Limit £50. Usual address.

#2

One Legged bar stool might be a better analogy. The Tories in Scotland will be tarnished for a generation due to the Thatcher (and Major) years. It has nothing to do with policies now just that legacy. Having said that, all they have left in Scotland are a bunch of political lightweights. This report is stuff and nonsense and everyone knows it - written from a Tory leaning sympathetic point of view. Annabel will be jumping ship to Westminster at the first opportunity, if she thinks she can actually win a seat there.

What a lovely clean looking street in that picture :)

A snowball in hell has a better chance than there ever being a Tory MSP in the islands. We don't do the fore-lock tugging here anymore. Their chances in the rest of Scotland are not much better either.

I actually like Anabell Goldie, she shows bottle and has more balls than any of the men, well thats probably true, but she doesn't take any crap from no-one. She also has a great sense of humour. Unfortunatley she's a tory! And the torries are probably the only party in Scotland that is hated.

They won't do anything in this election, we know it they know it aswell.

She'll make a good presiding officer, I'd like to see those SSP or SOLIDARITY punters try their nonsense with Annabel, she'll sort them out.

Meanwhile the Tories are polling

Cons 10-15 seats and this as we know, is a massive failure!

Yippee

Saor Alba

Nothing personal against Ms Goldie except of course her party's policies are a load of cra* but this article (ha,ha) is a load of drivel. Really Herald your reporters have shown their colours well and trully for all to see during this election campaign. I'm yet to read anything written by this particular reporter which isn't just a hatchet job on Alex Salmond.

#9 somerferg, oz
Sorry about this, but this is the Scotsman, not the Herald. Allthough politically not that far apart!

.. and she's a lot more honest than her taxi riding, conflict of interest policy pushing predecessor ...

#5...why describe the street as 'clean' when there is an obvious stain, in eh form of a conservative representative.

And since when was Jon Pertwee leader of the tories in Scotland?

:)

My last three posts on another thread have not been posted.
This is censorship at it's worse.

There was no rude words or anything offensive (Unless you support labour)

Is it just me or does she look like one of the scarey puppets out of the punch and judy show

So where has my post gone?

#2. Scullion. Malcolm Rifkind is an example of a fine Scottish tory.

Zelda from Terrahawks?

That is probably as attrractive as the tories could possibly get.

Years of labour mismanagement makes anything look appealing. And themselves appalling. Think tories will ahve to wait for the next generation to be the majority [memories of poll tax etc to diminish] before they have a snowballs chance.

Notwithstanding Chinese proverbs.

#5Auchterarder scottwebb.

#16 Royster, you've just given me the first laugh of the day!!:-)

Nice human insightful feature. Tory or not, Annabel is a sharp cookie and a thinker too. She knows she is not the Scots Tories' savior, but there's a lot worse. And she entertains

I look forward to Hamish O'Donnels feature on Nichol Stephen - the worst Scottish party leaders I can remember, pre of post devolution. Not only could he not convicingly argue the case for free air, but his "no deal with the nats irrespective of the post May 3 electoral map", is not only fundamentally illiberal it is tactically inept. And if followed through it would prove a political miscalculation of massive proportions that would hit the Lib Dems at both UK and Scottish level hard, very hard. Proping up labour when near everyone else had left town - Scotland, England, Ireland wales!

And for exactly what Nichol?

There is hope for the Scots Tories yet Annabel - handed to you on a plate by dim Nichol
http://www.youscotland.com/debate/showthread.php?t=60

#19. He's a good boy is Malcolm. He has a sound head on his shoulders and he isn't snide and smarmy like a certain overweight politician whose name momentarily escapes me.

#16 you need your head looked at you're suffering from delusions.

Malcolm Rifkind is not an honourable man, I'd bet several others in my line of work can back that up!

Loser of a first class standing!

LOLOLOLOLOL!

If Annabel dumped the Blair clone Cameron and the Westminster Party she would do a lot better.

Is she not Helen Liddell reincarnated?

In its arrogance, the indigenous Conservative Party used to sneer at the prospects of the "Nationalists" ever making serious inroads in "this part of Great Britain"? Now the spectre of an SNP led administration at Holyrood must haunt this political party! The irony
is that the indigenous Tories desperately need a leader of Alex Salmond's calibre, and not one of Annabel Goldie's, to stop their unremitting decline! Lachie Todd

#6
What an antiquated view of everyday life you have!!!
I haven't seen any fore-lock tugging and I've been around for quite a few years in many parts of the UK. Does anyone do that these days?

"one of her less colourful outfits"?

Just how sexist is that?

Does anyone pay attention to Alex Salmond's clothing?

The Tories will never be popular in Scotland, therefore they have NO chance of getting into power here.

That means that Anabel Goldie will NEVER be First Minister, and there will be very few people in Scotland who will feel sorry for her as a result.

I couldn't agree more with the article. I think she's easily come across best out of all the leaders. Not that I'd ever vote Tory. McConnell just comes across as desperate, Stephen seems too laid back and Salmond hasn't exactly set the heather on fire, though he has been less smug as usual.

I also get the feeling that the SNP campaign is running out of steam a wee bit. I think they may have peaked too soon. Some people seem to be counting chickens.

You've got to admire auld Annabel, haudin' doon the Tory's top joab in Scotland, as well as keepin' thae young scamps in line at St Trinians!l

I like Annabel Goldie and trust her a lot more than many other Scots politicians but I wish she was with another party as nothing on this planet (or indeed off it) could ever make me vote Tory. Not while there is a brain cell left which remembers Mrs Thatcher and the damage she and her thugs did to the UK.
One thing that cheers me up is the thought that she has outlived her husband and hopefully not been too gaga to comprehend her beloved son's public disgrace. Karma or what? And when is someone going to remove that disgraceful statue of her which now stands outside Westminser?

Every week - Spin & Smear from Labour! - FAILED!!!

Last week - Talk up the LibDems! - FAILED!!!

This week - Talk up the Tories! - WILL FAIL!!!

Next week - Talk up Scotland - SUCCESS!!!!

FOR A FAIRER AND MORE PROSPEROUS SCOTLAND.

VOTE SNP - 1st, 2nd, 3rd ON 3 MAY.

I'll say it again and again and again. The Tories will NEVER recapture their old heyday in Scotland of the pre-1970s. Thatcher ruined them as a party in this country for several generations.

Annabel is unfortunate in that she will always be held up to ridicule for;

A) Being Tory.
B) Letting it be known she prays every day. The electorate don't care for Holy Wullies!
C) Being a Tory.
D) Not being being "feminine" enough!
E) Being a Tory.
F) Anthing else we can think of.
and finally
G) Being a Tory.

One day they'll be completely extinct in Scotland!

This is puerile, sexist drivel. The other (male) candidates look and sound like a bunch of overgrown school boys next to this grand lady. She could eat the lot of them for breakfast and the country could be doing with the likes of her to lead it insead of the embarassingly stupid Labour, Lib em and SNP candidates that we have to put up with (and Solidairity & SSP if it comes to it). It's just a pity that the party she leads is a bit of a shambles.

Jeez, just the very thought of that cooncilor McConnel gibbering away with that bl00dy stupid far too short kilt he wore in New York. Give me this woman any ay in preference to that lot. (And this is being written by someone who generally dislikes ALL political persuasions.)

What a trash paper this is. It's not so much that they are pro-Labour as just plain anti-SNP. They promised us extensive profiles and in-depth interviews with ALL the candidates, but all we have seen is this tripe for a very MINOR party. We have heard more about Scottish Voice than we have about the poll leaders the SNP.

FIRST MINISTER SALMOND should call the Scottish media to task. But make no mistake, The Scotsman, people WILL remember this. So remember all these articles as you circulation begins to fall.

Boy Wonder, do you think any of the other leaders are 'manly' or 'feminine' ?

Sheesh, they are all pretty grotesque.

Nicola Sturgeon looks and sounds like a tatty middleaged weegie fishwife, Alex Salmond reminds me of a white Idi Amin and Joke McConnelllllllllll....................(it's those dulcet coooncillor tones and that dashing kilt of his!!). Not forgetting SunTanned Tommy Sheridan. I could go on..........................

#36, am I missing something here? The journalist was having a (sexist) pop at Annie Goldie in this article, not the SNP!

And jeez oh, if you are representative of the SNP do you realise just how totalitarian that post (36) you've made just reads?! lol!!!!!

#35 loosing the will to live
Like you, I am not swayed towards ANY of the parties. I thought Annabel Goldie was quite an astute cookie too. I don't know about her politics, but she seems to be honest enough - well, what you see is what you get anyway, like it or not.

David Cameron`s auntie.She looks like mine and I`m 61!

JG,

Are you hinging aboot for a wee incentive as reward for your support?

I have it on good authority the French Rugby team are 100% behind the SNP, and have promised to 'sort oot' any Dunfermline lassies that tick the right box!!!

With an offer like that, how can you refuse? :)

AJ
Oh, if only that were true!!!

As I have said elsewhere, we have the evidence of the past few years to show what a disaster Labour/ Lib-Dems are. The lack of realism in SNP stands out once we start looking at their proposals critically. IT'S TIME - TO LET THE TORIES HAVE A GO at running Follyrood. A air of realism would do that place good.

If the Conservatives are to be Cameron's savior then heaven help them. "No involvement in coalition......." So what is the point in voting Conservative, if they want some action vote SEP.

Hamish MacDonnell's line about the election refusing to catch fire could easily be sorted by his breaking the story of THE GREAT DECEPTION". Now THAT would get the fire off to a raging start!!!!!!!! Scotland £9.6 billion in the black, as against GERS claim of £11.2 billion in the red, that's quite a story!

Is it just me or does good old Annabelle look kinda homeless there. Perhaps thats cause she's a Tory in Scotland she is homeless. To be fair to her the tories policies have been quite good and her public apperances have been pretty good the only real problem that she is that shes a tory in Scotland.

Also just a wee footnote of something iv noted form the article:

" Alex Salmond refusing to put himself up before the media at press conferences"

Does anyone else see the hypocracy from this man who boasted that Jack was running scared. He has went into hiding by the sounds of this. Perhaps its becasue his policies are all unravelling. Where has Nicola been during this election as well? As the leader in Scotland she has become a non-entity. Probably because Alex knows she'll put her foot in it.

JG,

It is true.............honest!!

btw, I recently read Tony Blair's 'How to Bullsh*t the Public' manual!!!

Annie Goldie seems to be tramping round the Borders every day have'nt been to the Highlands yet-- or has she?

AJ
Ahh, that explains it, then! Can I order the one with the hairy chest, please........pleease!!!!!

JG,

He'll bring along his identical twin brother too!!!

Enjoy!:)

AJ
In that case, I may never be seen outside the house again!!!

#16 Royster: I remember when people were talking about Rifkind leading the Tories, not so long ago. Remember IDS and Michael Howard? Wow, I forgot the latter's name there for a minute.

It used to be said that you could put a monkey up for election in Labour heartlands and he would win. Margaret Thatcher has been out of the game for years and yet still folk bleat about her and will never vote Tory again. Each party has moved on and has new policies. Vote according to what they are saying now and judge them on the past 8 years. Don't harbour grudges from years ago.

#45 You're so right Canning, Salmond is an electoral liability, which is why the SNP are keeping him out of the public eye and pulling lots of England-based businessmen out of the woodwork instead. It seems no matter how much the Scottish media try to prop up the Nats they're still on the verge of collapse.

No, wait ... I'm thinking of Labour. What are you on about?

Everything seems clearer now 4 points clear i believe!

well spoken Candy Bar.

I find it incredible that there is so much hatred for Thatcher and Major when Bliar and Broon between them have committed such a series of acts against humanity both here and overseas and they are still in post!

Whatever worked for the Tories twenty five years ago,is hardly relevant to today's big stories.Oh and for the record I couldn't stand the Woman's hard right wing
views and her tramping of the working class people of this Country.Every version of the British workforce got it.While their useless Managers skipped away with fortunes in redundancy or Share benefits.

I couldn't imagine former Tory PM Major slipping into Ms Goldie's boudoir as he got into the habit off so doing with his former ex-minister Edwina! Athough, boudoir visiting it seemed was common practice with many off Thatcher's cabinet members!
So Ms Goldie's opportunity may stiill arise, should she so desire?
The Conservative Party has always been historically notorious for such bedroom antics: haven't they?

60

What has that got to do with voting on May 3? At least the Tories seemed to be heterosexual for the main part and not prone to insensibility through alcohol - Lib Dems SNP take note.

I totally agree with Candybar: why does everyone insist upon tarring the new Conservative party with the Thatcher brush of 20 years ago?

Move on!

Anyone who still considers voting Labour after the systematic erosion of human rights, false wars, pensions disasters and George Bush woo-ing antics of the last 10 years must surely need their head read.

I am still undecided as to what to do next week: all I know is that NONE of the candidates fully represent my interests as a citizen of Edinburgh and indeed Scotland.

#27 No. But the Tories still think we should.

I think you may all be surprised come next Thursday.........I wouldn't like to bet against the Tories winning around 20 seats........strangely the pollsters do not manage to get many tories to divulge their voting intentions.......they traditionally like to keep these things to themselves........

I say this in no way as a Tory apologist.......and with no scientific reasoning to back it up.....but I can see the Tories skelping the LibDems.....they have tried to keep there heads down too much and are now so inconspicuous by their absence.

May 3rd SNP 1, 2, 3

To all you who "would never vote Tory"

Why not? Have you read their policies or are you all too blinkered and brainwashed to even have a look at them? Thatcher was nearly 20 years ago you know!
I am still undecided about who to vote for in the coming elections but I am worried about how leftwing Scotland is becoming.
We need some Tories to dilute the leftwing nutters who we seem to get plenty of up here. If we get rid of the Conservatives, Scotland will become a Socialist outpost and investors will stear clear. It is all a question of balance.

But back to the point of the article. I do think that Ms Goldie has come across far better than any of the other leaders. Mcconnell and Stevens are both awful and Salmond just comes over as smug. You may not agree with her policies but at least she comes across as honest and out of the four of them would probably make the best First Minister..... I doubt it would happen though.

Good post's Candybar and doris d.

It is about time, the Scottish electorate began to concentrate on the policies, and gave up the practice following the the voting practice of their Parents, Grandparents and Great Parents.

Times have changed so must our voting practice.

Liz #66

Am no sure Hen, she still looks like a man dressed up....how honest is that?

Since Thatcher the Tories have moved on - here are some exampes of how modern they have been since they left office:

The Tories opposed the Scottish Parliament.

The Tories opposed PR for fairer elections.

The Tories opposed the fox hunting ban.

The Tories are proposing tax cuts for the rich.

The Tories supported the war in Iraq.

The Tories are stuck in the past and their main reason for existanec is to oppose reform and cut services to lower taxes.

Tories - wallet before heart - every time.

#69 Agreed 100%
She is I am sure a nice lady ,and personaly I deplore personal attacks on any of the candidates.
I believe that the fortunes of the Scottish Tory Party are interlinked with the fortunes of the SNP .
If as expected the SNP take the election and the Labour party get trounced (pray god!)
Labour in UK will disintegrate and by default the Tories will return to power in UK.
The Tories in Scotland for generations will never succeed until, IMHO they rebrand separate from English Tories and Scotland becomes Independent .
I am sure right of centre policies in the Independent Scotland will gain a great deal of support .
It is a hard ask of the Tories but it is the only chance they have of ever influencing anything in government in Scotland ever again.
.

in reply to link 4 auckland arab, if the tories are lightweight they are in good company with the rest of the shower up here that profess to be politicians, the majority of them could not even run a school fete.

Here's a story to make you all rethink;

http://www.webcameron.org.uk/blogs/3624-Conservative-Pens...

nice picture, cruella deville???

conservative - stands for ruin scotland and look after middle england. why vote for them unless your english??

#64
Guga, you must have blinkers set so that you only see 100 years or more in the past!!
Just thought - perhaps you are 100 years old - I hear people live a long time in the islands!!

Does Susie Cormack provide her insightful fashion-forward style commentary for all party leaders, or just the female ones?

Peter Baleares,

Loret de Mar 1973, the Cerdana Bar - you were singing "Knock Three Times", you had very bushy sideburns and a Lee van Cleef moustache and white skin tight nylon breeks!! Is it really you?

#51 JG We'll send you care packages, full of champagne, strawberries, and chocolates...to keep your stamina! ;)

#68 that's bein pretty honest AJ...but I think she was just having a bad hair day...Politics can do that to a gal!

#77 Lanna
Thank you! That's very thoughtful. Referring back to the other board, the amount of exercise I'd get would slim me to a shadow of my former self - this would be good!

I'm not sure the comments were made in reference to Annabel's political stance - only that she came across as being sincere. It's up to you whether or not you agree with what she stands for politically.

#72 kennyy

A provocative comment at its basest level!!!

Desist from you racist ravings lest you sully the good name of the citizens of Scotland.

For a fairer and more prosperous Scotland.

VOTE SNP - 1st, 2nd, 3rd. ON 3 MAY.

http://www.webcameron.org.uk/blogs/3624-Conservative-Pens...

Only vote conservative. Read and weep!

Don't assume the tories are in the bucket because there is no empathy for their brand of fiscal policy. It is the conservative and UNIONIST party that is stuffed. Come independence and a realignment of all the parties you might see something quite surprising in labour's heartland.

#78 JG, I'm an outsider looking-in on your politics, but do wish you all the best of luck with things...it will be very interesting to see how things play out!! HC's comments on the calender were funny, btw! :)

#61> Only because the Tories as usual; always liked to be portrayed as the party off family values but, make sure to omit their past debauched history, when election times appears!
Look back on Major's last election speech before given the hoof, and you'll understand!

#81 Lanna
I was actually getting a bit worried about you, as we hadn't heard much from you after you saw the 2007 version!!! My own blood pressure is only just returning to normal!!! I thought it would have been a real shame if HC had missed out out on that!!

I'm actually one of the undecided voters everyone keeps going on about - Jack McConnel is sleazy, Alex Salmond is smug, David Cameron is strange and Tommy Sheridan is orange!

#83 JG, oh I've recovered and have since shared the link with my friends!!! That was some fun!

I can empathise with the undecided vote, esp when you want to consider choosing none of the above!! ;)

This may not seem as bizarre a headline as the Camerons are Scottish.
Does David have any relatives in Elphinstone there was a bing o Camerons ttere!

Can a Tory on this board explain why they are in favour of personal responsibility and independence, whereas they pointedly prefer dependency for the whole country?

Unionism simply doesn't make sense in Conservative thinking. Why do they keep trying to make it fit?

"Que será, será".

'With Alex Salmond refusing to put himself up before the media at press conferences'; Really Scotsman he has been everywhere talking to the people on radio, tv. at hustings. I know you are petrified at the thought of the SNP getting into power because you fear a loss of advertising revenue from the unionist parties. Get this you will lose a lot of readers and posters after the election when the SNP get in so anyone advertising in your paper will be reaching a meagre audience

Same as 58

IT'S TIME VOTE TORY

I think Annabel Goldie has come out of this campaign really well too but have no sympathy with her politics.

Have a look at Elaine C Smith on SNP TV tonight for really good, down to earth, honest point of view on the positive case for independence and the negativity of much of the campaigning against it.

Also on the outrageous arrogance of those who tell us that Iraq isn't an issue in this election.

Are the tories doing well? Is Goldie doing well? Am I missing something here?......Are the Tories still in existence here? I think Annabell Goldie has a good sense of humour though.......at least I hope She has.......it keeps one going You know.

Re Jennie from, I think, Inverness.

"One thing that cheers me up is the thought that she has outlived her husband and hopefully not been too gaga to comprehend her beloved son's public disgrace. Karma or what? "

How nasty can you get...you must be pretty miserable if you get cheered up by other people's possible sadness. I hope people think just as kindly about you when you get old.

Annabel Goldie for First Minister. Adam Lyal (deceased)
for Assistant first minister. What about a Conservative / Adam Lyal's Witchery Tour Party pact?

No coalitions, no independence - vote Tory

DerekS,

Adam Lyall will be birlin' in his grave at your suggestion. He only robbed rich tories in his heyday!!

it's not too hard to look good when you're given sympathetic coverage.

She may be a good performer, it's just a bit that all that energy is put to the use of supporting our enemys.

Security around here is non-existent.

Mario is on the payroll.

The polls can be rigged by deleting cookies.

Oh, how I long to sunbathe under the Sun! Turquoise, Hexagonal, Naked or otherwise.

Well, better having Goldie than Alex "man boobs" Salmond I say.

" Always look on the bright side of life" Mr Baleares!!

David Cameron is actually David Donald Cameron; according to the D**ly M**l. And if this proves to be true, then - subject to a character assessment, and his initiation into certain rites of a traditional nature, we may be welcoming him as a Fellow Teuchter.

If the Tories in Scotland wish to become a government then they shoud really become independent.