Ruth Davidson is not the answer to English Tory prayers

Tacitus argued that, after 68, ‘the secret of imperial rule was revealed: an emperor could be made somewhere other than Rome’. It has taken metropolitan observers some time to wake up to the fact the same is true in Britain today. A star can be born far from London.

The difference, however, is that not all roads lead to Westminster. It takes time for change to work its way through the system so perhaps it is not surprising that it is only now that we are seeing the fruits of devolution. In their different – very different – ways Nicola Sturgeon and Ruth Davidson have each demonstrated that devolution works. It has, at least in Scotland, established an alternative to Westminster. Careers and reputations can be made and won 400 miles from the House of Commons. That’s a good thing and an overdue thing too.

But that’s also why all those people who watched Ruth Davidson set about Boris Johnson with a crowbar during last night’s BBC debate and found themselves thinking Why can’t we (ie, you) have more of her here (ie, there)? are going to be disappointed.