FOR David Cameron, the focus on English grievances is a net vote winner. The most his party can lose in Scotland is one seat - currently held by David Mundell - compared with the dozens of new constituencies it could pick up in southern marginals.

"Both Brown and Cameron know the next general election will not be won in Scotland," said one Tory insider. "If we believe we can mop up seats in England by attacking Barnett and the West Lothian anomalies, it's hardly a surprise that we should pursue this strategy."

Logic might dictate the Scottish Tories would be against playing the "English" card, but the MSP group in Edinburgh appears to support the ideas floated by David Cameron.

On a solution to the West Lothian question, Conservative MSPs have for years supported the sort of "rebalancing" favoured by Cameron. Scottish Tory support for cross-party talks on increasing Holyrood's powers also suggests they have no long-term attachment to the Barnett Formula.

"The fact we're talking to Labour and the LibDems suggests we know Barnett is not going to be around forever," one MSP said. "What we want to do is make devolution work better and to make the parliament more financially accountable."

However, if the Tories in Scotland agree with their UK counterparts on the detail of Cameron's ideas, some believe the reforms will have to be carefully packaged. For instance, while the West Lothian question may be a legitimate issue, the same anomaly also applies to the Welsh and Northern Irish assemblies.

"It doesn't just apply to Scotland alone, but to other parts of the UK," said one senior Tory north of the Border. "I think English votes for English laws' could be presented better."

Similarly, Cameron's comments last week on reviewing Barnett were made in relation to Scottish public spending, despite the fact expenditure per head is higher in London and Northern Ireland.

Tory MSP Alex Johnstone, who supports the reforms being proposed at Westminster, says: "What I want to avoid is making Scotland the number one issue in the south in the general election campaign, which it could very easily be if certain people, like Alex Salmond, say certain things."

Deputy Scottish Tory leader Murdo Fraser, who also supports Cameron's reforms, says Barnett and West Lothian should be considered alongside more powers for Holyrood. "David Cameron has been careful to put these issues in the context of addressing some of the anomalies of devolution. These things are also tied to the tripartite talks we are having tomorrow about reviewing the parliament's powers," said Fraser.

A number of Scottish Tories privately believe the focus on constitutional issues is an opportunity, not a threat. They say the Conservatives should use the current debate to make the case for more powers for the parliament and the Scottish party.

In 2005, Fraser called for the Scottish Tories to be a "separate party, separately funded, with separate responsibility for policy". Such a view is still a minority opinion within the party, but it reflects a growing desire to carve out an identity distinct from the UK organisation.

However, one Scottish Tory believes the party's current strategy is to "hitch a ride" on Cameron's coat-tails, rather than reconfigure the pro-England policies being dreamt up in Tory HQ in London.

"Four years ago we were leading the debate on constitutional issues, but that has since been stepped on. There has been a lot of feet-dragging on the issue of increasing the parliament's powers," he said.

Another party insider said greater autonomy may be forced on the Scottish party, a breakaway predicted in the Spectator magazine during the Holyrood election campaign. "The UK party may cut its losses," he said.

A bigger danger posed by the Tory focus on Scotland could be the ramifications of the party winning the UK general election, but only gaining two or three Scottish seats. Johnstone said: "It's like a big red button with a flashing light on it: all the party has to do is hit the button to get a landslide win at the next election, but it will usher in Scottish independence. What Cameron has to do is win without pushing the button."

One thing is undeniable: it is Tory MPs, not MSPs, who are shaping the party's constitutional policies. Instead of being a passenger in the back seat of reform, some believe it's time for the Scottish party to sit up front and get its hands on the wheel.