Scottish Conservative Party conference: News in brief
Here is a selection of news in brief from the Scottish Conservative Party conference, meeting in Troon.
Trimble in Scots independence attack
A former first minister of Northern Ireland has accused Scottish Nationalists of "doing violence" to people's identity with their bid to take the country out of the United Kingdom.
Lord Trimble said that every Scot had a "British component" in their national identity, and that to "separate that is to do violence to people's own sense of identity".
The politician, who won a Nobel Prize for his efforts in the Northern Ireland peace process, spoke out at a rally for the Union at the Scottish Conservative conference in Troon in Ayrshire.
Tory politicians from all four countries in the United Kingdom joined together to make the case for Scotland staying in the Union.
Lord Trimble argued that there was a "common component" in the national identity of people from all parts of the UK.
And he stated: "I have to say to Scottish Nationalists that by fighting for a programme of separatism, saying that you want to take Scotland out and take the Scottish identity out into a separate place, you are doing violence to part of the identity of every Scotsman, because there is a British component in the identity of every Scotsman.
"And to separate that is to do violence to people's own sense of identity."
Lord Strathclyde says Scotland 'is under threat'
The leader of the House of Lords has spoken in support of the Conservative Friends of the Union group.
Lord Strathclyde claimed that Scotland, "the country I care passionately about most of all in this world", was "under threat".
He said: "Because of the vanity-driven egotistical policies of the SNP, Scotland stands on the brink of breaking up the most precious and successful political and economic co-operation the world has ever seen - the United Kingdom."
Lord Strathclyde insisted that "Scotland's ambition is best served by our full participation in this extraordinary partnership that has lasted for over 300 years".
And he said: "When the referendum comes, let us ensure that Scotland says no to division and yes to our United Kingdom."