The Tories lost all their Scots seats in 1997

David Mitchell, chairman of the Scottish party, claimed that without unity Westminster MPs face the fate suffered in Scotland six years ago.

The Scottish Tories lost all their MPs at the 1997 general election.

The stinging warning came at the opening of the Scottish party's spring conference in Glasgow.

Unity and loyalty are absolutely essential to create a party fit for government. Let us - and them - never forget it. David Mitchell, Scottish Tory chairman

Mr Mitchell said: "I'm sure there are many people in this hall who felt angry and let down in recent weeks by the small minority of the Westminster parliament who seem totally incapable of behaving in the manner expected of a mature political party."

To loud applause from his audience, Mr Mitchell said: "They at Westminster must learn the lesson that we have learned in Scotland, somewhat painfully in the past.

"Unity and loyalty are absolutely essential to create a party fit for government. Let us - and them - never forget it."

In the opening debate of the conference, the party's law and order spokesmen pledged more money to be spent on policing, more procurators fiscal and a zero tolerance approach to crime throughout Scotland.

Zero tolerance

Bill Aitken, MSP for Glasgow region and deputy home affairs spokesman, told activists: "We need to return the streets to the people.

"We need to get back to a situation where it is safe for old people to collect their pension and young people can go clubbing in the early hours of the morning."

And law and order spokesman Lord James Douglas-Hamilton pledged a wider range of disposals for children's hearings, including weekend and evening detention, tagging, community service orders, supervised attendance orders, and drug treatment and testing orders.