RUTH Davidson has claimed that her party’s crushing defeat was for “not delivering Brexit as promised".
In Scotland, the Tories slumped to 11.6% of the vote, down from 17.2% in 2014. It was the worst result the party had suffered since 1865.
Many Scottish Tory supporters, like their comrades south of the border, had seemingly switched to Nigel Farage’s Brexit party, who took 14.8%, putting them second, behind the SNP.
Davidson said the success of Farage’s entity “demonstrates the clear frustration of the Scottish electorate that Brexit still isn’t sorted.”
In the run up to last Thursday, the Scottish Tory leader had repeatedly said it was an opportunity to send Nicola Sturgeon a message on a second independence referendum.
Yesterday, as she and colleagues digested the message Scottish voters did send, Davidson promised to “redouble” her efforts to kick the SNP out of government.
“It was clear before the election the Conservatives were going to get a kicking across the UK for not delivering Brexit as promised,” she said.
“This election – to a parliament we were already supposed to have left – had a unique set of circumstances.
“That we held our seat in Scotland is primarily down to the hard work of our campaigning team and I thank each and every one of them.
“The arrival of the Brexit party demonstrates the clear frustration of the Scottish electorate that Brexit still isn’t sorted.
“I will redouble my efforts to ensure all those across the country seeking to get rid of the nationalist government at Holyrood feel able to come together and support my team at future elections.”
She added: “Dividing the pro-union vote only benefits one party – the SNP.”
Keith Brown, the SNP’s depute leader, said Davidson’s “much-heralded comeback has flopped”.
“She has just presided over one of the worst results in her party’s history,” he added.
The Scottish Tories held on to their one MEP, with Baroness Nosheena Robarik returned.
The peer said she was “honoured to have been re-elected”.
“I will do my best for Scotland, including by strengthening ties for our future relationship with Europe,” she tweeted.
The Brexit Party also returned one Scottish MEP, Louis Stedman-Bryce.
“We did it,” he tweeted.
“The SNP would have you believe that no one voted to leave the EU, we are giving a voice to the one million Scots who voted leave 2016. We will be ignored no more.”The entrepreneur confirmed plans for the Brexit party to field candidates for the 2021 Holyrood election.
Stedman-Bryce, who recently launched a new social care business with his husband, told The Herald: “A poll that I was reading had us picking up eight members in the Scottish Parliament [based on current support], and that’s with five weeks of us being around. So give us a year and half, two years, let’s see what we can do.”
Stedman-Bryce said the Brexit party was “completely different” to Ukip.
He said: “I wouldn’t have voted for Ukip, if I’m honest with you.
“Brexit offers a home to average working class people, middle class people, to everyone really, from different religions, genders, orientations.
“I think what we’re seeing is that there’s a need for a party like this.
“If you look at the result from the previous Ukip vote, we’re way up on that. We’re taking votes from all areas, and that’s why I think we can make a difference this time.”
Meanwhile, Davidson has said she expects all of the candidates going for the Tory leadership to rule out indyref2.
Her comments came as Home Secretary Sajid Javid threw his hat into the ring to replace Theresa May, the ninth MP to do so.
Asked if she would expect all candidates to rule out a section 30 order, Davidson said: “To be honest I would probably expect them to do that.
“We’ve yet to see the manifestos from any of them, so in terms of what they bring forward let me judge it when it comes.
“But I can’t imagine there will be any of them that are running to grant it.”
Last week Davidson u-turned to say she could now work with Boris Johnson if he becomes Prime Minister.
The Scottish Tory leader said she would “judge him on the same criteria as I judge any of the candidates”.
Davidson has been seen as a persistent critic of the former Foreign Secretary.
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