Brian Monteith

HE came, he saw, he went home. Scotland remains unconquered. The David Cameron circus came to Scotland and beneath the big tent of Our Dynamic Earth Scots Tories sat poignantly with other dinosaurs whose time has past. Being politically correct, no animals were involved, apart from the Tory MSPs who are to be like rabbits caught in the headlights of an electoral juggernaut that looks set to squash one or two of their number in May.

Cameron sold the pass for the coming Tory manifesto when he congratulated Goldie and her colleagues for taking the "brave" decision not to offer tax cuts but instead pledging to spend an extra £100 million on drug addicts - as if the policies are mutually exclusive. Rejecting tax cuts in Scotland is not brave, Dave, it is what passes for the norm and confirms the emasculation of Tory MSPs.

To see off the growing grumbles among the cannon fodder of no-hope candidates and footsoldiers, Dave rallied behind Goldie by telling everyone she at least rolled up her sleeves and talked common sense. This simply betrayed his ignorance that Goldie is held in contempt for being somnambulant on the job and a one-trick rehab policy pony. "The only time she rolls up her sleeves is when she does the dishes," was the comment of one wag on the Tory floor.

Questions are already being asked about what happens after this May's elections: surely Goldie must fall on her knitting needles and clear the path for the rejuvenation that young activist Peter Lyburn prophetically called for? (That's what I call "brave", Dave).

Surrounded by advisers who are either ignorant of Holyrood's machinations or too frightened to tell him the truth, Dave is probably unaware that Goldie's best chance of winning an election is in the race for presiding officer.

Taking on a role that plays to her strengths of prison governess and favourite aunt could just deprive Murray Tosh, the deputy presiding officer, from realising his honest ambition. Such an outcome does, however, offer Tories an upside: it would take Goldie out of Tory politics for four years.

The way would then be clear for the heart and soul of the party to be fought over between Young Turk Murdo Fraser and possibly Jackson Carlaw or David McLetchie - the latter strengthened by a likely fresh endorsement by Edinburgh Pentland's voters. Only then might the party consider how independent of Dave it has to become to be taken seriously as a Scottish party, with possibly a new name, a fresh youthful image and really brave policies. There's no point in delivering such a change before May. For most Tories the election cannot come quick enough.