The Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party 2018 Spring conference will be held in Aberdeen, it has been announced today.
Delegates will gather at the city’s exhibition and conference centre in Bridge of Don for two days on March 2 and 3.
The party has enjoyed considerable electoral success in the north-east of Scotland in the last two years.
At the general election, the Scottish Conservatives won six constituency seats in the region, Aberdeen South, Angus, Banff and Buchan, Gordon, Moray and West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine.
The party is in administration at council level in Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire and has five MSPs – including a constituency MSP for Aberdeenshire West – after the 2016 Holyrood election.
Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said:
“Election results for the Scottish Conservatives in the north-east in the last two years have been nothing short of spectacular.
“We now have six MPs, five MSPs and are in administration in both Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City councils.
“So, it is fitting, as we train our sights on 2021, that our Spring conference will be held in the Granite City.
“We can use our success in this area as a springboard towards the next election, where we will be offering a strong and credible alternative to another five years of SNP rule.”
Colin Clark, Scottish Conservative MP for Gordon, said:
“Since June’s election, our MPs have delivered for this area by ensuring the Chancellor agreed tax changes for the oil and gas industry that will unlock billions in new investment in the North Sea.
“We have helped to fix the SNP’s mess over our emergency services by lifting the VAT burden on the single police and fire services, and we have secured support for our vital Scotch whisky industry.
“Meanwhile, our team at Holyrood are holding the SNP to account for its failures in the north-east on council funding, NHS support and business rates rises.
“We look forward to the conference next year as we continue to establish the policy platform for the Scottish Conservatives to develop as a government-in waiting ahead of the 2021 elections.”