Desperate Tories facing oblivion

THE Scottish Conservatives used to try to present themselves as the party of the small business owner and small town respectability in general.

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Strong on law and order but very much against state intervention in industries and actively hostile to trade unionism.

Even after their 1997 wipeout at the hands of Tony Blair, the Tories could rely on the support of at least 20 per cent of the electorate in Scotland.

But that's no longer the case. Not one but two Tory MSPs have now chosen to quit the party in the past six months.