Full text: Ruth Davidson’s Conservative conference speech

Friends, it’s great to be back here in Birmingham. Seven years ago, I came to conference looking to lead the party north of the border. I promised you I would grow the Conservative family in Scotland. Well, never let it be said, I’m not a woman of my word.

Conference, there are plenty of things I could talk to you about today. I could tell you about the fantastic work our 31 MSPs are doing in Holyrood, day by day holding Nicola Sturgeon’s miserablist SNP government to account. I could let you know about the work of our superb 13 Scottish Conservative and Unionist MPs. Who, day by day, are showing that you can stand up for Scotland, without walking out on the UK.

Or I could talk for days about all the unseen stuff – the work our hundreds of councillors are doing every day for communities right across the country, showing that, contrary to our opponents’ claims; Conservatism isn’t alien to Scotland, but that’s it’s OF Scotland.

Friends, I could talk a lot about all this. But, actually, what I want to talk about isn’t the day to day of parliamentary speeches or council chamber business. I want to talk about what matters. Things that, when you’re about to step back from the front line for a bit – as I’m about to do – are perhaps a little easier to see. And I want to make a plea. To look beyond the sound and fury that passes for our politics just now.