The Way of All Tory Flesh

There are three things to be said about Murdo Fraser’s willingness to put his own party out of its misery: this is not a new idea, it is not enough, on its own, to spark a centre-right revival in Scottish politics and it is a brave way to begin a leadership campaign. Tactically it is a risky ploy; strategically it makes sense. Put all this together and there’s every chance, yet again, that nothing will come of it.

For that matter, it may be a mistake to make this the crucial issue in the leadership campaign. The Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party may be feeble but it is also stubborn and most of the time it is guided by a kind of paleounionism that will lead to its extinction. So the question is this: a quick death and a new beginning o a long, drawn-out demise that will make the rebirth of Scottish conservatism more difficult than it need or must be?