The local North Ayrshire and Arran Conservative Association hosted a reception at its office in Ardrossan last Friday to welcome the Rt Hon David Mundell MP to the constituency.
Mr Mundell had been at North Ayrshire Council meeting the Chief Executive and leaders of the Council to discuss a wide range of issues as part of his tour of all Scottish Councils. After the meeting Mr Mundell met over 25 local party members who came to hear him speak on a range of issues such as the Scotland Bill and the attraction of new business and jobs to the area.
He told delegates that the SNP were "turning devo-max into grievo-max" with their confusion over further devolved powers coming to the Scottish Parliament, over their calls for Holyrood being able to hold another referendum and their "empty concerns over the Scotland Bill "which Mr Mundell said was being fully delivered as promised and in accordance with the Smith Commission.
Also attending the event was Jamie Greene, candidate for Cunninghame North and Billy McClure for Cunninghame South who also gave speeches to the attendees. Jamie Greene told members that "I think people in Scotland are starting to realise that Conservatives are normal working people like you and I. We are taxpayers, friends, neighbours, colleagues and club members. We share a common goal in keeping the UK together and we want the best for our local communities and towns. The fact that we today (Friday) won a by-election in Alex Salmond's own back yard says a lot about how the tide is turning for us and that we are being seen as the only true credible opposition to the SNP now."
Billy McClure said "Whilst there is much hard work to be done between now and next May I am confident that the Scottish Conservatives will return a great result in Holyrood."
Richard Wilkinson, chairman of the local association said that " it was great to see some new faces at the meeting, people who hear about us through social media and have taken the plunge to come and actually listen to what we have to say rather than read the rhetoric about us. It was an honour to have David Mundell come and hear about local concerns over Faslane, Hunterston and the local economy."