At long last, the Scottish Conservatives are back

The Tory achievement in Scotland was delightfully encapsulated in one sharp moment during the BBC’s overnight coverage. Jackson Carlaw, the Scottish Tory deputy leader, turned to Alex Salmond, pointed his finger and said: “Alex Salmond said we deserved to stay in purdah, well, we are not in purdah any more.”

That retort summed up the frustration built up over decades of defeat and put-downs from the SNP and Labour. Mr