Losing hurts, but it's how you respond - why I'm running for the Scottish Conservative party leadership

For me though, it’s not the losses that matter, it’s how I respond to them. One of the most valuable things I learned in sport is resilience. That drive to brush yourself off, pick yourself up and start thinking about how to beat whoever beat you.

That’s the moment we’re in as Scottish Conservatives. This leadership contest is when we decide how we pick ourselves up and prepare for the next race.

It is my intention to stand in the leadership contest. The starting gun hasn’t been fired yet though. I’ll be launching my campaign formally as soon the party’s management board has completed its consultation process and announced the rules and timeline.

My objective for the future of the party is clear – build a party that can win in Scotland. In 25 years of devolution in Scotland, we are the only party represented in Holyrood that has never been in government. We have been a credible opposition, a passionate pro-UK counterweight to the pro-independence SNP and Greens, but never a serious contender for government. We can do better than that.

As a party we must be more pro-active. It is not enough to respond to events. We must shape them. We must focus on the issues and problems Scotland faces and be clear on how we will address them.

I know that the Olympic athletes about to compete in Paris will have thought strategically about what they must do for peak performance, and how to deliver when it matters. I want the Scottish Conservatives to plan beyond the short term. Not only thinking about what we want Scotland’s future to be, but building into our platform the specific actions needed to get there.

I believe there are three core principles – education, enterprise and empowering people.

Education will be at the heart of the party under my leadership. Education is the engine of change in our society, and yet is neglected and undermined. Education can help us live healthier lives, make better choices, create new career opportunities, and drive the economic growth and innovation that we need to deliver better public services. Education is a key part of any plan to reach net zero, to create a more effective NHS, to foster innovation and aspiration in our economy, to build more homes, or to reduce inequality. It is the foundation upon which lasting change is built.

Enterprise and economic growth have been underappreciated in Scotland for too long. We have a great history of innovation, invention and entrepreneurialism, but under successive governments at Holyrood, business, and the private sector more generally, has been seen as little more than a necessary evil or a convenient source of cash to pay for more and more spending commitments. Supporting business and encouraging enterprise should be synonymous with the Scottish Conservatives. When Scottish businesses succeed, Scotland succeeds.

Empowering people is one of the most basic principles of being a conservative. Every individual should have the opportunity to reach their potential and have a meaningful say on the issues that affect them. That doesn’t mean it’s everyone for themselves. Everyone must have a voice in the debate. On so many issues, from net-zero to gender reform to education to planning, vocal minorities crowd out those who disagree and reject any suggestion of compromise. I want the Scottish Conservatives to make sure that everyone’s voice is heard.

But we must also be willing to tell hard truths. A party that tries to be all things to all people will most likely end up being nothing to anyone. This isn’t about local views always trumping the national interest in planning disputes or vice versa. We should empower people so they’re part of the process, not victims of it.

That should tell you a lot about how I want to lead the Scottish Conservatives. I want our MSPs, MPs, councillors, members and supporters to all feel that they are part of a team. I want everyone to have a voice and to be part of the discussion and to understand, if I take a decision they disagree with, why I believe it is necessary to achieve our ultimate objective. I’m not going to offer platitudes or quick fixes because that’s not what we need.

The Scottish Conservatives can be an effective, pragmatic, and successful centre-right government in Scotland. The path to get there will not be quick or easy, but then again, few things worth doing are easy. This is our opportunity to choose a different path for our party and offer voters a different path for Scotland’s future. I’m ready to seize that opportunity and I hope you’ll join me.

- Brian Whittle is the Scottish Tory MSP for the South Scotland region