Annabel Goldie yesterday insisted she was "very proud" of the Conservatives' election campaign, despite the number of seats the party holds at Holyrood falling.

After a campaign in which Ms Goldie, the Scottish Tory leader, made a virtue of her party's intention not to enter government, the Tories secured a total of 17 seats, one fewer than four years ago.

There were successes for the Conservatives, in particular John Lamont's unexpected victory over Euan Robson of the Liberal Democrats in Roxburgh and Berwickshire.

The party also saw their majority increase in Galloway and Upper Nithsdale, despite it being the SNP's No 1 target seat, while they also comfortably retained Ayr and Edinburgh Pentlands.

However, disappointments included the failure of Murray Tosh to take Dumfries and Labour's retention of the former Tory heartland of Eastwood.

Reflecting yesterday on her party's performance, Ms Goldie said: "I'm very proud of the campaign that the Scottish Conservatives have run in this election. I'm proud that we have talked relentlessly about the bread-and-butter issues that really matter to the people of Scotland and I'm proud that we have stood up and defended the Union.

"The Conservatives know the only way to strengthen the United Kingdom is to make devolution deliver after eight years of the Lib-Lab pact."

Ms Goldie accepted that both her party and the LibDems had seen their share of the vote "squeezed" as a result of the fierce contest between Labour and the SNP.

But she rejected suggestions that, despite a campaign which was widely praised, the Tories' support had flat-lined.

She said: "There's no doubt that what we faced was a mammoth squeeze by Labour and the SNP. But in the seats we had, we've increased our majorities and we've got a new constituency gain.

"We've fought a spirited campaign and the outcome is extremely positive."

With both Labour and the Nationalists needing to form coalitions if they are to have any hope of a majority at Holyrood, the Tory leader again stressed they would not enter into a formal partnership with any its political rivals.

Instead, she said the Tories would consider matters on an "issue by issue basis".

She said: "Until we know the composition of parliament and what is being brought forward by different parties, I can make no decision about how my party will respond.

"We will not enter into any coalition, we shall stand by our principles. What will determine my approach is the best interests of Scotland."

12:01am Saturday 5th May 2007

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