Scottish Tories are split over devolution

Divisions Mar Scottish Tory Conference

One prominent left-winger defended a plan for Scottish Tories to study how their German counterparts fared with the reality of devolution. Arthur Bell dismissed "false and absurd" claims that dissidents were planning a breakaway party in Scotland, funded by German money.

"No party can tolerate parties within a party," Mr Beat, chairman of the Conservative Political Centre in Scotland, told reporters. "I am calling for the Conservative Party to have a more open culture and debate issues more openly and encourage people to bring forward ideas.

"There are lots of people on the left, right and middle of the party with good ideas. But when this concept of debate turns into plotting, briefing against party chairmen and fellow members, and when it ends up in the farce of taking foreign money to look into the possibility of breaking away, then it is time for the party to take action."

The row came as Scottish Tory activists gathered in Perth to agonise over how to survive and rebuild, in a country where they have no MPs, no Euro MPs and control no councils - and where Labour's promised devolved Scottish Parliament now looks inevitable.

Although the official line is to oppose devolution, Scottish Tories are in danger of becoming factionalised as they struggle to find a new identity. Some have floated the idea of a breakaway party in Scotland - with MPs taking the whip at Westminster as a sister party to the English Tories, but otherwise autonomous as a Scottish party.

The BBC's James Cox looks at the Tories's future north of the border

Party leader William Hague is to address the conference on Friday, after a day in which delegates debate their stance on devolution and on how best to reshape the party. They will consider a resolution attacking Labour's promised devolution referendum and calling on Scots to reject devolution as a threat to "our constitutional stability and future prosperity".

But that resolution adds that if a Scottish Parliament is created, the party should work for the election of Tories with a "distinctive programme of policies and a firm commitment to sustaining Scotland's place within the UK".

One of the key speeches will come from former Scottish Secretary Michael Forsyth, who has so far been silent since losing his Stirling seat at the last election. Meanwhile, shadow chancellor Peter Lilley tonight publicly warned Tories not to become obsessed with internal agonising, as Labour had done in opposition.

He said electors had become increasingly disenchanted with the Tories - but had still voted them back into power for as long as they feared Labour more. "But once people ceased to fear Labour so much, we were in deep trouble," said Mr Lilley.

"We need to use the process of policy renewal to restore our links with all those who became disenchanted with us over recent years. "We will have to reach out to people in education, health, business, the professions and the churches to draw on their experience in identifying the problems and future issues we will need to tackle."

He said the first phase of policy renewal would be to systematically identify the problems, challenges and opportunities which the country would face. This would be carried out "policy area by policy area", locally as well as nationally, using politicians and outside experts.

"It will be particularly important to carry this process out effectively in Scotland to ensure that Conservative policies have a Scottish dimension tailored to the needs, opportunities and hopes of Scottish people," said Mr Lilley.