Prime Minister David Cameron yesterday warned off agitators against Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson by saying he backed her “every step of the way”.
Addressing delegates at the party conference in Stirling, Mr Cameron said the Tories had to represent “all of Scotland” and Ms Davidson does that.
It came just hours after the vice-chairman of the Stirling Conservative constituency party criticised her during a radio interview.
Mr Cameron said: “We will only succeed if we are in touch and in tune with modern Scotland. And in Ruth, you’ve got the ideal leader. Ruth wasn’t born into the Conservative Party she chose it.
“And she understands that to win we’ve got to be a party for all of Scotland. A party focused on securing Scotland’s place within a strong UK but not afraid to look at how devolution can be improved.
“A party for the city as much as the country, for the young as much as the old, for the nurse in Glasgow as much as the farmer in the Borders.”
He added: “And I back her every step of the way.”
Earlier, Alastair Orr had said Ms Davidson looked “weak” after it emerged there would not be any discussion in the main hall about further devolution powers for Scotland.
He added: “The fact that we are having to go to a local hotel and take over two rooms to discuss one of the main topics of interest to activists and members in the Scottish Conservative Party speaks volumes for the fear and alarm this issue raises with the party hierarchy.”
With around 150 party members gathered in Stirling’s Albert Halls for his speech, the Prime Minister said the head and the heart had to be appealed to if more votes are to be won in Scotland.
He used the platform to again slam Labour’s handling of the economy, defend the UK coalition’s economic policies and welfare reforms and insist there would be “no turning back” on austerity measures.
He praised Scotland as being “a great nation with great industries” and said he wanted the next generation of entrepreneurs to hail from north of the border.
Mr Cameron said: “Oil and gas, financial services in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and Aberdeen and of course let’s not forget Scotch whisky.”
He added: “It’s amazing to think that some of the world’s biggest companies in 10 years’ time haven’t even been started yet. I want those success stories of the future to happen in Scotland.”