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The constituency tour has begun!

On Friday I took an early flight up to Stornoway, right on the periphery of Scotland. But just because places like Stornaway are at the edge of our country doesn’t mean they should be ignored in our policymaking. Scotland is a country where there are huge differences. What works in the Central Belt is often ineffective or irrelevant up in the Highlands or the Isles. I want to lead a party for the whole of Scotland. I want to understand the issues affecting everyone in Scotland. That’s why I am touring the whole country during this campaign. If you want to follow my progress there is a nifty map showing where I have been at www.ruthdavidson.co.uk/campaign-tour. Saturday provided me with a chance to go down to Ayrshire, a part of Scotland where the Conservatives have been able to keep winning. It was great to meet so many people, and incredibly gratifying to have so many local members tell me they are supporting me to be the next leader of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. John Scott MSP, the constituency MSP, three Ayrshire Provosts (Winifred Sloan (South Ayrshire),Pat McPhee (North Ayrshire), and Stephanie Young (East Ayrshire) along with other councillors; have all declared they are supporting my campaign. I was just as delighted to receive the support of Lord Sanderson for my candidature as well.Lord Sanderson has been a great servant to the Scottish Conservatives, and of course party members overhwhelmingly endorsed his report into the best way forward for the Conservatives in Scotland. So it meant a huge amount to hear him say: “I have been impressed by Ruth Davidson and her vision for taking our party forward. In the evidence I heard as part of drawing up my report into the future of the party, it was clear that we need to make changes in order to strengthen the party. I am keen to support a young and able candidate who has great leadership potential.”