Election: Conservatives call in Kirkcaldy to ’get Scotland working’

That said the party has managed to increase its share of the vote in the two most recent elections, cementing third place in the results.

Five different candidates have stood for the Tories in the Parliamentary elections, with Mike Scott-Hayward setting the bar with a 2900 return in 1999. That number dipped slightly in 2003, when he stood again, and in 2007 when David Potts polled 2202, with the party dropping to fourth.

Since then, the Tories have managed to climb ahead of the Lib Dems, and third spot was firmly secured when their vote jumped to 4500 in 2016, and that 14% was more or less retained by Kathleen Leslie in 2021.

The baton now passes to first time candidate, Heather Greig, who lives outside Auchtertool, and worked in property development.

“Get Scotland working” is the Conservatives’ manifesto message and its key headlines cover similar themes - from delivering quicker GP appointments to more police on the beat, and raising standards in schools, and reducing the country’s benefits bill.

It also wants a Taxpayer Savings Act - a new law would clamp down on government bureaucracy and waste by creating the Scottish Agency of Value and Efficiency (SAVE) led by business leaders and with the power to make savings recommendations directly to ministers.

For the Kirkcaldy candidate,local issues are also to the fore as her team knocks on doors - and she has been pleased with the response.

“It has been much more encouraging than I thought it would be,” said Heather. “We are getting positive results, and even if people aren’t giving us their vote, they are grateful that someone has taken the time to speak, and listen to them.”

The candidate accepts that victory on May 7 is not on the cards for the party, but the outcome still matters as it counts to the bigger picture under Holyrood’s second, or peach, vote which is key to the number of regional MSPs each party gets. In his manifesto, Russell Findlay, party leader, hailed it as “your secret weapon to stop an SNP majority, no matter where you live in Scotland.”

Heather agreed: “That second vote is vital to the outcome of the election. A lot of people we are speaking to are saying ‘anyone but the SNP’ for their vote - so they understand the importance of the peach vote and how the Holyrood system works. “

The Conservative candidate is well versed in politics - her dad chaired the party in Kirkcaldy. She decided to stand after an approach was made.

“I’ve been around the party and politics all my life. I stepped away in my 30s and 40s to raise my family and run a business. Looking at the state of the country, rather than carp from the sidelines, I decided to stand up and try to do something about it.”

She said issues being raised ranged from potholes in the roads to waiting times at the Vic, and added: “Everyone is struggling with the cost of living, and women’s rights are being eroded by the SNP.

“And there is a lot of political apathy out there - but we are out most days and will step up in the next week.” Kirkcaldy’s £20million investment continues to spark discussion.

Heather said: “People seem very concerned that a lot of money is being spent on consultants even before there is anything viable to see. There hasn’t been the consultation there should have been

“The council has its own ideas, but they feel removed from what the people want to see. The waterfront in Kirkcaldy should be stunning - it has amazing vows - and people want to see a radical plan for the town centre, whether that’s pop up markets, creatives crafts or food

“The money is a one off opportunity - it sounds a lot but not really we want to make a radical difference.”