Tory MP warns that Tory government endangers Union with Scotland

Writing in the Local Government Chronicle the outgoing Tory MP, David Curry, concedes that the election of a Tory Government increases the chances of the Union breaking up:

"For Cameron now looks like the next prime minister. And if there is one thing [Alex] Salmond wants, it is a Conservative government looking and feeling culturally and politically wholly alien to Scotland. This will be especially so if Cameron feels he must curb the power of Scottish MPs at Westminster, reduce their number and revisit the spending formula that ships cash up to Scotland to fund services unavailable in England. Even if the Tories pick up a handful of Scottish seats in the general election, Salmond will feel that an independence referendum is winnable. Scotland will be able to vote for what it is against — which is how it likes it."

There is a lot of truth to what Mr Curry writes and the resentment towards 'Tory London' is going to be all the greater given the scale of public spending cuts that are going to be necessary.  David Cameron is a conviction Unionist - just witness his commitment to establishing the Conservative alliance with the UUP - but he is going to need all of his considerable political powers to thwart Salmond's ambitions.

Tim Montgomerie