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The Tories’ renaissance in Scotland is all thanks to Alex and his referendum

The Tories’ renaissance in Scotland is all thanks to Alex and his referendum

A funny thing happened during the referendum campaign well, lots of funny things happened. But there was one particularly remarkable experience, at least for a certain section of the electorate.

The Tories in Scotland found themselves on the winning side, after years of humiliation at the polls, and this, not resurgent nationalism, may turn out to be the most lasting legacy of 2014.

When Alex Salmond announced his resignation, he mentioned (several times) the “energised activism” of thousands of people. He was referring to his own supporters who, he predicted, would refuse “meekly to go back into the political shadows”.

But there was another band of newly politicised activists and they, too, may decide that their party needs them to stay on board. The last months of the referendum drew out many first time canvassers who, alarmed at the nationalist clamour, resolved to take matters into their own hands.

Whether they signed up to help Better Together or embarked on their own door-knocking initiatives, these often middle class militants played a significant role in getting out the pro-UK vote and turning back the separatist tide.

And they had fun, too. We heard much about the joyous and positive participation of ordinary people in the Yes camp, but the No lot joined the battle with equal passion.

Now, having made their voices heard, there is buoyancy in the ranks of lifelong unionists that may be translated into greater political involvement.

Unlike the raucous hordes of disappointed nationalists, there will be no protest marches or demonstrations. But we may well see more of the quiet indignation, expressed in the letters pages and at the ballot box, of voters who have had enough of the shouty secessionists.

Mr Salmond’s dismissal of the over-55s, and his condescension towards anyone who voted “no”, may succeed where years of Tory hand wringing have failed in finally detoxifying the Conservatives in Scotland.

Helping this process along is their leader Ruth Davidson, who had a jolly good referendum and an almost rapturous reception at her party conference on Sunday. She may have struggled to assert herself in the early days but she has proved to be calm under fire and has evolved into a leading progressive in Scottish politics.

What is more, she could be regarded as a sane alternative to the nuttier elements of nationalism, which are threatening to derail Nicola Sturgeon before she even becomes First Minister.

The rise in applications to join the SNP has come from Yes campaigners pushing for a rerun as soon as possible and Ms Sturgeon admits that these new members “impatient for change” would present a challenge to the leadership.

But veteran nationalists have also been impatient for change. None of the small ‘c’ conservatives who voted tactically for the SNP in 2011 will ever do so again after the threats by Mr Salmond and the one time party deputy Jim Sillars to interpret an election win at Holyrood as a mandate for independence.

Such loose talk may boost the morale of a hardcore Yes rump but it certainly won’t endear the party to moderate voters. Mr Salmond has undone all his efforts to make the nationalists more lovable and, without the discipline forced on disparate interests during the lengthy campaign, the SNP may self-destruct.

This is wishful thinking perhaps, but there is scope for the Tories to re-engage with their traditional constituencies, if not to attract younger converts. All over Scotland, Courier Country included (with the exception of the nationalist stronghold of Dundee), seats represented by the SNP voted against independence in the referendum.

In Angus and Perthshire and Stirling, all held by separatist MSPs and MPs, there was a massive endorsement of the union and a decisive rejection of the SNP’s message. Whether this is repeated either at next May’s general election, or in Scotland in 2016, remains to be seen. And, of course, not all those voting “no” were Tories or potential Tories.

But a Conservative renaissance in Scotland would bring swathes of Scots back into the political fold, confound the myth that people north of the border are basically more Left wing and ultimately strengthen the ties that bind Great Britain.

All this delivered by the nationalists and their referendum!