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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Goldie: 'Don't judge us on past' | Goldie: 'Don't judge us on past' |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Scottish Conservative leader Annabel Goldie has urged voters to judge her party for what it is now - not on "echoes of the past". | Scottish Conservative leader Annabel Goldie has urged voters to judge her party for what it is now - not on "echoes of the past". |
| Miss Goldie's call to the party spring conference in Perth came as she declared the Tories were on the up, ahead of a forthcoming UK election. | Miss Goldie's call to the party spring conference in Perth came as she declared the Tories were on the up, ahead of a forthcoming UK election. |
| She also called for a mandatory two-year jail term for those convicted of knife crime. | She also called for a mandatory two-year jail term for those convicted of knife crime. |
| And she supported a "massive increase" in home visit services for parents. | And she supported a "massive increase" in home visit services for parents. |
| Miss Goldie - who made no mention of Margaret Thatcher - told delegates: "Let me take something right on the chin - I know for many people, voting Conservative in Scotland is a big ask. | Miss Goldie - who made no mention of Margaret Thatcher - told delegates: "Let me take something right on the chin - I know for many people, voting Conservative in Scotland is a big ask. |
| "Some have never done it, some last did it a long time ago." | "Some have never done it, some last did it a long time ago." |
| Issuing a "bring it on" election challenge to Gordon Brown, Miss Goldie added: "Judge us not on your perception of the echoes of the past, but, rather, judge us on what we are now and what we are achieving in the Scottish Parliament." | Issuing a "bring it on" election challenge to Gordon Brown, Miss Goldie added: "Judge us not on your perception of the echoes of the past, but, rather, judge us on what we are now and what we are achieving in the Scottish Parliament." |
| It is simple - if you believe in the Union, don't vote for the SNP Annabel GoldieScots Tory leader class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/briantaylor/2009/05/back_to_the_future.html">Brian Taylor's conference blog | |
| Miss Goldie said the party at Holyrood had been successful in getting Tory policies into law for the first time in more than a decade. | Miss Goldie said the party at Holyrood had been successful in getting Tory policies into law for the first time in more than a decade. |
| She said these included more police on the beat, reduced business rates and a renewed approach to tackling drugs. | She said these included more police on the beat, reduced business rates and a renewed approach to tackling drugs. |
| But the Scots Tory leader said more had to be done to mend "our broken society" - stating family was the bedrock of society. | But the Scots Tory leader said more had to be done to mend "our broken society" - stating family was the bedrock of society. |
| "The Scottish Conservatives are committed to providing more and better support for new parents through a massive increase in home health visiting services," Miss Goldie said. | "The Scottish Conservatives are committed to providing more and better support for new parents through a massive increase in home health visiting services," Miss Goldie said. |
| "Children deserve a decent start in life, so a guaranteed level of support will be offered to mothers before their baby is born and, in the first two weeks of a baby's life, we guarantee a minimum of six hours help in the home." | "Children deserve a decent start in life, so a guaranteed level of support will be offered to mothers before their baby is born and, in the first two weeks of a baby's life, we guarantee a minimum of six hours help in the home." |
| Miss Goldie also pledged to give control of classrooms back to teachers and bring in "second chance learning units" for violent pupils. | Miss Goldie also pledged to give control of classrooms back to teachers and bring in "second chance learning units" for violent pupils. |
| Referendum 'illusion' | Referendum 'illusion' |
| Attacking the Scottish Government's "soft touch" approach to tackling crime, she also laid out plans for a mandatory minimum jail term of two years for knife crime - saying it was time to send a message that: "Take a blade outside - you'll be inside". | Attacking the Scottish Government's "soft touch" approach to tackling crime, she also laid out plans for a mandatory minimum jail term of two years for knife crime - saying it was time to send a message that: "Take a blade outside - you'll be inside". |
| Turning to her political opponents, Miss Goldie said neither the SNP nor Liberal Democrats could remove Labour from power. | Turning to her political opponents, Miss Goldie said neither the SNP nor Liberal Democrats could remove Labour from power. |
| She said of the Scottish Government: "Their independence referendum is not a safety net - it is an illusion designed to con Unionists into believing it is safe to vote for the SNP. | She said of the Scottish Government: "Their independence referendum is not a safety net - it is an illusion designed to con Unionists into believing it is safe to vote for the SNP. |
| "It is simple - if you believe in the Union, don't vote for the SNP." | "It is simple - if you believe in the Union, don't vote for the SNP." |
| Championing David Cameron to be the next prime minister, Miss Goldie described the current recession has having been made by Labour and delivered by Gordon Brown. | Championing David Cameron to be the next prime minister, Miss Goldie described the current recession has having been made by Labour and delivered by Gordon Brown. |
| "Chancellor of the exchequer is one of the great offices of state but, after a decade of Brown and Darling, what a state that office is in," she said. | "Chancellor of the exchequer is one of the great offices of state but, after a decade of Brown and Darling, what a state that office is in," she said. |
| Miss Goldie offered delegates a choice between Labour politics of "smears and fears" and "persuasion and hope". | Miss Goldie offered delegates a choice between Labour politics of "smears and fears" and "persuasion and hope". |
| "We offer that change, that persuasion, that hope," she said, adding: "If you want a new start, a new vision, new ideas and a new Scotland, then vote for the Conservative Party, vote for David Cameron, vote for change." | "We offer that change, that persuasion, that hope," she said, adding: "If you want a new start, a new vision, new ideas and a new Scotland, then vote for the Conservative Party, vote for David Cameron, vote for change." |