THE businessman who captained the Scottish rugby team to the 1984 Grand Slam has donated £100,000 to the Scottish Conservatives.
Jim Aitken's gift is the second largest single donation ever given to the party in Scotland.
News of Aitken's support comes a week after the Conservatives announced that the leading Scottish QC Paul McBride had decided to join the Conservatives af
ter a lifetime of supporting Labour.
After captaining Scotland to its first rugby Grand Slam in 59 years, Aitken built a highly successful business career. He currently owns and operates one of Scotland's largest grain merchants, Alexander Inglis and Son Limited, based at
Ormiston, near Tranent. Prior to creating the company, he successfully sold his Scotmalt firm to malt derivatives merchants Munton in 2003.
Last night Aitken pledged his support to David Cameron, the Conservative leader, and Annabel Goldie, the leader of the party in Scotland. He said: "Our country faces enormous challenges and will need strong, effective and bold leadership. I think David Cameron and Annabel Goldie are the people who will provide that leadership and make the tough decisions.
"At some point over the next 12 months, the Prime Minister will have to call a general election. When that day comes, the fight to form the next government will be between this discredited Labour Party and the Conservatives. A vote for the SNP and Liberal Democrats will be a wasted vote. Britain needs the Conservatives."
Goldie said: "I am delighted at Jim's support. This is yet another tangible sign of the growing backing for our party. As a formidable prop forward his support is invaluable. With Gavin Hastings also appearing at our spring conference in Perth later this month, it is sure to be a grand slam affair."
Although Hastings has not declared his political allegiances, he will speak in support of Tory education policy. Hastings will back Tory plans to give secondary school pupils the chance to spend at least a week of their school career pursuing outward bound activities.
Andrew Fulton, the Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party chairman, said: "Last weekend, we welcomed leading QC Paul McBride to the Conservatives.
"This week, I would like to thank Jim most warmly for his generous support for the party in Scotland. The backing of well-known Scots like Jim is a huge boost to our resurgent party."
Lord Laidlaw, the well-known Conservative supporter, is the only Scottish donor to have exceeded Aitken's generosity, having once given £250,000 in a single sum.
Aitken played rugby for Scotland between 1977-84. He was a loose head prop and won 24 caps. He also captained the Scottish Grand Slam side in 1984. His record as captain was played seven, won six, lost one.
Aitken is no stranger to being outspoken. Last month he courted controversy by insisting that the new coach of the national rugby team must be a Scot and that the SRU should turn down the application of a former England internationalist. He said: "Whoever they appoint has to be a Scot and there's a lot of nonsense being talked about Andy Robinson being appointed. We've gone down the road before with an Australian and a lot of New Zealand influence and it doesn't work, so it has to be a Scot."
