Names please for the new Scottish party...

Yesterday's news that the Scottish Conservative Party may be given a new name and separate identity after next month's elections features in most of this morning's newspapers.  Although the official CCHQ response has been denial of the plans (see, for example, The Guardian), other unnamed Tories have confirmed the Spectator story.  For example, one "senior Conservative source" told The Scotsman:

"There have certainly been talks around this issue. We have to wait for the dust to settle after 3 May and see where we are. If we don't at least hold the same number of seats, there will be more of an impetus for change of this kind."

Shadow Scottish Secretary David Mundell refused to deny that the idea was under discussion but told The Scotsman that "no plans" existed.  "It is inevitable," he continues, "that, after the election, people will reflect on the result. But at the moment, talking about party structures is a distraction - only of interest to those people in the Conservative bubble."

Another "senior Tory" "hinted" to The Telegraph that there may be a review of structure after May's Scottish elections: "It's correct to say that, at the moment, the relationship between the Scottish party and the UK party is unclear."

What do you think the new name should be?  The Scottish Unionist Party is probably the favourite.  Any better ideas?

Comments

[Jules]

Unfortunately it can't be the Scottish Unionist Party, as one already exists.

See link.

[Jonathan]

Scotland First

[Alan S]

Reform would be a good name. The party north of the border should not be defined by Unionism but by its commitment to reduce the suffocating size of the Scottish state. Low tax Ireland should be the model of what Scottish Reform should promise Scotland's voters.

[Occasional Visitor]

From "The Scotsman" website comment board:
http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=522272007

There is already a Scottish Unionist Party:
www.scottishunionistparty.co.uk/

[Occasional Visitor]

P.S. "Scottories"? ;-)

PPS For general info,I am not a "troll". Name is Ken Stevens but I post under a pseudonym more indicative of the fact that I am an ordinary interested floating voter, rather than any sort of political activist, Tory or otherwise.

[Umbrella man]

Talk of name changing alone is a bit superficial for ConservativeHome. The change in the Scottish party needs to be more fundamental. My suggestion is that the Scottish Tories become the Scottish Democrats and promise direct democracy for Scotland where all major decisions are voted on by a wired voting population. This is the sort of radicalism that will give the party a new start.

[601]

It should not be "Scottish Unionists"(it already exists?). Something that shows they are not another socialist party (Lab-lib-SNP) and one that believes in the individual. Scottish Enterprise party?

[Edward]

Scotland Future?

[601]

em just googled scottish enterprise party and i see the name is already taken......but I was right about the connatations.

[Cranmer]

The People's Front of Scotland
The Scottish People's Front
The Scottish Popular People's Front

Splitters.

[Jake]

Scottish Democrats .

[northeasterntory]

Nice one Cranmer,
How about the "Scottish Suicide Squad"?

[601]

Scottish progresives.

[TFA Tory]

No party should use words like reform or progressive in its name.

How about the Scottish Freedom Party? That will give it a truly separate identity from the High Tory statists in Millbank.

[Les]

Och Aye The Noo Conservatives

[Cllr Iain Lindley]

How about we drop the whole barmy idea?

[Ted]

The name is less important than the relationship between the UK Party and the Scots (or Welsh or dare I say it English) one. Scots Conservatives is just as good a name as any other if it's clear it is firstly a Scots party with Scots interests at heart, then a unionist party in federation with the UK Conservatives.

[Father Brian]

What a bloody joke, the latest in the round of PR initiatives that do nothing to address the real issues.

The whole point of the party is that it is Conservative and Unionist - and used to style itself as such. I'm not aware of any popular mood to alter that cornerstone of party policy. If there is, how about going back to core values and returning to the Tory Party?

We can take comfort in the fact that the party will outlast the image-conscious upper class twits who've hijacked the leadership.

[Graeme Archer]

How about --

(*) Tartan Tories

(*) Roamin, in the gloamin, wi' a commitment to lower taxes and enterprise by my side

(*) I like the idea of a community of Conservatives - what about "Conservative Union", or C.U. (Jimmy)

(*) Scottish Nationalist?

[Yet Another Anon]

Scottish Conservative Unionist Party perhaps? Surely though if it's going to be an independent party then it should be those who will be it's initial members who pick it's name.

[xenon]

Yet Another Anon - Scottish Conservative Unionist Party would provoke headlines like SCUP-PERED I dont know if thats a good idea!

[James Cox]

Scottish Progressives is a perfectly good name - Scottish Tories ran under the banner of 'Progressives' in local elections in many areas until the 1970s

[anon]

MacTories drowning not waving

[david]

How's about 'Tartan Tories' or 'Righton Jock' or Scottish People Only, Right and Nationalist, (S.P.O.R.A.N.) Then again there's 'Right Awae' I'm sure we can come up with something!!

[Tim Roll-Pickering]

How about the Wee Frees?

[Cardinal Pirelli]

Scot Free?

Seriously, Scotland First, Scottish Liberal Party (that'll confuse them), Scottish Unity? Scottish Union sounds too much like a building society.

[JJ]

UNITY

[TomTom]

Conservative Caledonians

[Tom Greeves]

Don't do it!

If you must, then keep the word 'Conservative' in the title. Scottish Conservative Party would be best.

Why does the autonomy have to mean a name change? I know some people will think changing the name is a good idea; that doesn't mean we have to change it.

This whole idea seems very unwise.

[simon]

'Scottish Christian Democratic Party'. Drop ANY reference to 'conservative-ism' the brand is too tainted up here because i) the party has allowed it to happen; ii) Scotland's print media (apart from DC Thompson) is anti-conservative, and pro-wet lefty.

[Max]

I think Scottish Progressives is already too taken as is the Scottish Enterprise Party.

As mentioned above the Scottish Unionist Party currently exists - I got a leaflet from them as a huge Orange parade marched through Edinburgh.

[John Coles]

For goodness sake drop the whole silly idea. The Conservative Party has always been the party in favour of the Union - why stop being so at this critical stage? It takes the bunch of out-of-touch, trust-fund, upper class twits who have hijacked the party to put forward this moronic suggestion. Save the Union - it may not be a fashionable belief now but, like Kipling's Lords of the Copybook Headings, its fundamental value will become evident again.

[HF]

Dare I suggest the Scottish Highlands and Islands Tories?
:-)

Seriously, it is time that the Scottish Conservatives actually picked a Leader capable of re-building the party AND attracting voters.

[JimJam]

Scottish Enterprise Party

[Justin Hinchcliffe]

Agree with TFA's suggestion, the Scottish Freedom Party.

[Jon Gale]

Unionist Alliance

[Observer]

Ones to avoid

Scottish Conservative Action Team
Conservative Radical Action Party
Scottish Conservative Radical Action Party
Conservative Unionists and Nationalists Together for Scotland

[Louise]

Lord Strathclyde led a whole consultation process on this just after the 97 election (I think) and the members decided on Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party. Lots of suggestions went around the houses including Progressive Unionist Party(!).

In the end the Scottish members wanted Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party then and I really don't see it changing now.

[Richard]

Scottish Liberty Party?
Scottish Patriotic Party?
Scottish Peoples' Party?
Scottish Capitalist Party?

[Paul Oakley]

The Broons.

[ptc]

David - don't you mean "Scottish People Only, Raving Right and Nationalist", (S.P.O.R.R.A.N.)?

[congaconga]

They should switch the words around:

The Unionist and Conservative Party
or
The Unionist and Green Party.

At the end of the day, we've lost our main constituency in scotland: the unionists. We need to get them back, and then give Celtic supporters lots of Family Values policies. Transform a double negative into a double positive, if you know what I mean.

[Andrew Ian Dodge]

Capitalism Party?
Smith Party?
The Frees?

I like Wee Frees.

[Rev Ian Paisley]

Democratic Unionist Party

[Richard]

Don't like the idea of using the word Progressive.

Progress = progress

Progressive = anticonservative left-wing cockup

[Just so we're clear then ...]

... Dave's the leader who *doesn't* reach parts (of the country) other lagers, er, leaders do?

[Og]

When Shall We Three Meet Again?

Shower of Scotland
The Cameron Highlanders
The Crankies

[Sawed off Truth]

1. The Vanishing Party
2. Scottish Preservatives
3. Scottish Convenience Party
4. Scottish Opportunistic Party
5. Scottish Reactionary Party
6. The Unnecessary Party
7. Scottish Unwanted Party
8. Scottish Conservative, Pyjama, and Bottle Party
9. Scottish Westminster Rule Party
10.Cameron Loyalist Party

[George Hinton]

This is all rather dangerous as it sends the message of schism, surely the Tories are the party of unionism, not devolution. Or, is DC secretly following the plans of the EU and the creation of "the regions".
A devolved Scotland reduces the UK's weight in negotiations with Brussels, which is a good thing if you are a Europhile, but otherwise a bad thing for this country.
Scottish Tories need to press the economic points very hard, devolution will cause taxes to rise in Scotland, as the UK will cut off monies.

An apposite name might well be: The West Lothian Party.

[UK Daily Pundit]

The Numpty Party.