CONSERVATIVES should embrace a more open and liberal outlook to win the backing of younger voters, according to Scottish party leader Ruth Davidson.

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Davidson described a recent YouGov poll which revealed that nearly half of 18-to-24-year-olds say there is no chance of them voting Conservative as "depressing but not entirely unsurprising".

Writing in the Guardian newspaper, she said: "The crash generation simply don't trust the motivation of the right.

"A bolder narrative about the benefits of our free society and a bit more practical delivery is required if we're to show we want to speak to all, and act for all."

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She continued: "The younger generation, and society at large, is not yearning for a five-year plan of centrally delivered tractor quotas.

"Instead, we are a society that prizes individual autonomy and freedom of expression, and expects government to help us to achieve our goals, not set them.

"Conservatives should seek to embrace this open, liberal outlook as a positive – and not a threat."

Ms Davidson pointed to her party securing an additional 12 Westminster seats at the general election last year – though still well behind the SNP in Scottish seats.

She added: "In the last few years the party in Scotland has sought to write our own history, tell our own story, and speak about why we do what we do – and in so doing, remove some of the negative stereotypes that follow us."

Davidson will help launch Onward on Monday, a campaigning think tank which aims to generate policies that appeal to voters under 45.