. ▁He ▁immediately ▁took ▁a ▁seat ▁on ▁the ▁opposition ▁front ▁ben ch ▁as ▁Edward ▁He ath ▁appointed ▁him ▁sp okes man ▁on ▁housing . ▁▁ 1 9 7 5 - 1 9 9 0 ▁ ▁Scot ts ' ▁prospect s ▁were ▁greatly ▁cur ta iled ▁when ▁Margaret ▁Th atch er ▁won ▁the ▁Conserv ative ▁Party ▁Le ad ership ▁race . ▁Th atch er ▁was ▁a ▁pro ponent ▁of ▁a ▁' t ough er ', ▁less ▁liberal ▁Conserv at ism . ▁Scott ▁was ▁offered ▁a ▁more ▁junior ▁position , ▁he ▁refused ▁to ▁serve ▁and ▁became ▁a ▁r ally ing ▁point ▁for ▁the ▁" w ets " ▁within ▁the ▁party . ▁He ▁did ▁little ▁to ▁appe ase ▁Th atch er , ▁oppos ing ▁sending ▁sports ▁teams ▁to ▁apart heid ▁South ▁Africa , ▁he ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁pro ponent ▁of ▁Pro port ional ▁Represent ation , ▁and ▁ab st ained ▁on ▁new ▁imm igration ▁restrictions ▁. ▁ ▁Scott ' s ▁champion ing ▁of ▁liberal ▁causes ▁led ▁Labour ▁Polit ician ▁Dick ▁Cross man ▁to ▁describe ▁him ▁as ▁" the ▁most ▁liberal ▁T ory ▁of ▁them ▁all ". ▁However ▁when ▁Roy ▁Jenkins ▁tried ▁to ▁en list ▁him ▁for ▁the ▁newly ▁formed ▁SD P ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁Scott ▁remained ▁loyal ▁to ▁the ▁T ory ▁party ▁and ▁turned ▁down ▁the ▁inv itation . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁made ▁a ▁Priv y ▁Coun c ill or ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 . ▁A ▁moder ate ▁Conserv ative , ▁he ▁fought ▁with ▁his ▁characteristic ▁mixture ▁of ▁charm ▁and