Tories 'on the up', says Goldie

Annabel Goldie: "The Conservatives are in the ascendancy"

The Tories have shown their rivals how to get things done in Scotland, but face challenging times ahead, their leader has said.

Annabel Goldie said the Scottish Conservatives had delivered real change in the last 12 months, while Labour had "floundered" and descended into chaos.

She was speaking ahead of her party's two-day annual conference in Ayr.

Miss Goldie will also take part in a live BBC Scotland webchat between 1100 and 1130 on Friday with Brian Taylor.

The Scots Tory leader said she and her 15 MSPs made a �114m improvement to the Scottish budget, including speedier business rate cuts, more police officers and a new drugs strategy.

We gather for conference in great spirits, as exciting, though challenging, times lie ahead of us Annabel Goldie Scottish Tory leader Watch the conference live

She told the BBC Scotland news website: "We got what we wanted and we made the crucial difference. It wasn't perfect, and there were elements of the budget that we did not agree with, but it's a start."

Miss Goldie went on: "While Labour have floundered since last May and are now in chaos, the Scottish Conservatives have played our hand extremely effectively. We have put our policies into action."

She welcomed the SNP setting up in minority government, where she said policy now had to be approved on an issue-by-issue basis instead of the "stale" coalition politics of the first two parliaments, where decisions were made behind closed doors.

But despite backing the SNP budget, Miss Goldie said the party would continue to further its own agenda and oppose the drive for Scottish independence.

"The Conservatives are in the ascendancy. Therefore, it is no surprise that we gather for conference in great spirits, as exciting, though challenging, times lie ahead of us."

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