THE Scottish Tory leadership race has been thrown into chaos after four of the six candidates called for it to be paused amid “disturbing” allegations “about the conduct of Douglas Ross”.
Murdo Fraser, Liam Kerr, Jamie Greene, and Brian Whittle all signed a joint letter to the Scottish Conservative’s management board – on which Ross sits – raising concerns about reports in the Telegraph that Ross had tried to quit as party leader in 2023 and install Russell Findlay as his replacement.
Ross is alleged to have tried to get Kathleen Robertson, the leader of Moray council, to stand aside and let him run for Westminster in the Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey seat, which was ultimately won by the SNP’s Graham Leadbitter.
At the time, Ross was still publicly insisting that he was not going to stand for Westminster and would focus on his role at Holyrood. An eventual public U-turn forced him into an humiliating resignation in the middle of the General Election campaign.
Findlay, who is seen as one of the favourites to take over from Ross, and Meghan Gallacher, the depute party leader, were the only two standing in the contest who did not sign the statement raising concerns about the outgoing leader’s conduct.
However, Gallacher stepped down on Friday afternoon, saying she could no longer serve as Ross's depute leader.
Allegations from within the party have previously said that an “establishment cabal” was trying to see Findlay coronated as the next Scottish Tory leader without a true contest.
In their statement on Friday, the four Scottish Conservative leadership candidates hinted at similar concerns.
Joint statement with @jamiegreeneUK @LiamKerrMSP & @BrianWhittle pic.twitter.com/qjiyK9IEwC
— Murdo Fraser (@murdo_fraser) August 16, 2024
They wrote: “As candidates for the leadership of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, we are deeply concerned by the disturbing claims reported today about the conduct of Douglas Ross in relation to his seeking candidacy for a number of seats in the recent General Election.
“The reports also reference his plans and preferences for a replacement leader to take over the party upon his departure which are relevant to the transparency and fairness of the current leadership contest we are participating in.
“These allegations raise serious questions for the party which, in our opinion, require to be answered before the current leadership contest proceeds further.”
The four candidates then laid out eight questions. These were:
- Were the candidates’ board aware that a female candidate selected for a winnable target constituency was asked by the party leader to step aside and make way for him?
- Does the candidates’ board believe that this is an appropriate way in which to treat any candidate, not least a female?
- Is it true that this incident was reported to the party chairman and director months ago, as claimed? What action did they take as a result of the report?
- Were the party management board advised of this situation?
- When the party management board took the decision not to permit David Duguid to stand as a candidate in the Aberdeenshire North and Moray East constituency, did they do so in the knowledge that Douglas Ross was seeking a way to remain as a Westminster MP, contrary to all the assuranceshe had given publicly and to colleagues?
- Were members of the party in the Aberdeenshire North and Moray East constituency aware of Douglas Ross’ conduct when they were asked to select him as their General Election candidate?
- The reports state that Douglas Ross expressed plans for him to be replaced as party leader by an individual MSP. Was the party management board aware of this proposal and in light of it does it believe the current leadership replacement process has been affected by it in terms of fairness, scrutiny and transparency?
- What action will now be taken by [the] party on this matter, including measures to ensure that this situation can never be repeated?
Elsewhere, SNP MP Leadbitter has said that Ross should quit as an MSP given that he apparently sees the job as a “second best” to Westminster.
"This sorry saga has, again, put the Tories’ contempt for Scotland’s Parliament under the spotlight," Leadbitter said.
“People across the Highlands and islands deserve an MSP who is working for them, not one who’s putting naked self-interest before constituency interests."
Ross has also faced calls to instantly resign as Scottish Tory leader from within his own party. As it stands, he will not step down until his replacement is elected.
Jackson Carlaw, who led the Scottish Conservatives before Ross, said he had "spoken with both the chairman and Douglas Ross and made plain my view that the current leader’s position is unsustainable".
But Ross has remained adamant that he will not go.
In 42 days we will have a new leader of the @ScotTories. As outlined in June, I will remain Leader until my successor is elected. pic.twitter.com/egMSWjHgdN
— Douglas Ross MSP (@Douglas4Moray) August 16, 2024
In a statement on Friday evening, he said: "When I announced on June 10 that I would be standing down, I confirmed I would stay on as leader until the party membership choose my successor. That will not change.
"We now have an agreed process in place and in just 42 days a new leader will be elected by the members from across the country.
"I have deliberately said nothing about any of the candidates or the process to maintain my neutrality during the contest, and again that will not change."
