Scottish Conservatives
The Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party (Scottish Gaelic: Pàrtaidh Tòraidheach na h-Alba, Scots: Scots Tory an Unionist Pairty), often known simply as the Scottish Conservatives, is a centre-right political party in Scotland.[6] It is the second-largest party in the Scottish Parliament and the third-largest in Scottish local government. The party has the second-largest number of Scottish MPs in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom.
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Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Pàrtaidh Tòraidheach agus Aonaidheach na h-Alba (Scottish Gaelic) Scots Tory an Unionist Pairty (Scots) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leader | Douglas Ross MP MSP |
| Deputy Leader | Meghan Gallacher MSP |
| Chairman | Craig Hoy MSP |
| Founded | 1965 |
| Headquarters | 67 Northumberland Street Edinburgh EH3 6JG |
| Youth wing | Scottish Young Conservatives |
| Ideology | |
| Political position | Centre-right[3][4] |
| National affiliation | Conservatives |
| Colours | Blue |
| Slogan | "Scotland's real alternative" |
| House of Commons (Scottish seats) | 6 / 59 |
| Scottish Parliament | 31 / 129 |
| Local government in Scotland[5] | 214 / 1,227 |
| Website | |
| www | |
The Leader of the party is Douglas Ross. He replaced Jackson Carlaw, who briefly served from February to July 2020; Carlaw had in turn taken over from Ruth Davidson MSP, who held the post from 2011 to 2019.
In the 2017 UK general election, the party increased its number of MPs to 13 on 28.6 percent of the popular vote – its best performance since 1983 and in terms of votes since 1979 – but it fell back to six Westminster seats in 2019. In the 2016 election for the Scottish Parliament the Scottish Conservatives gained 16 seats, making it the largest opposition party, with 31 of 129 seats. In the 2021 election for the Scottish Parliament the Scottish Conservatives maintained 31 seats and remained the largest opposition party.