Douglas Ross ‘set for coronation’ as Scots Tory leader

Douglas Ross has described preserving the Union as his “absolute priority” as he denied any involvement from Downing Street and Dominic Cummings in his decision to run for the Scottish Conservative leadership.

Ruth Davidson MSP alongside Scottish Conservative MP Douglas Ross in Edinburgh, after he confirmed he will stand for leadership

The Moray MP, who resigned from his Scotland Office position in May over the Cummings affair, is already the clear favourite to replace Jackson Carlaw after confirming yesterday he was running for the Scottish party’s top job. Senior Tories including Ruth Davidson, who was yesterday awarded with a peerage, as well as Adam Tomkins, Miles Briggs, Annie Wells and John Lamont have given him their backing.

No other candidates have come forward so far, and The Scotsman understands that grassroots Tories expect a coronation. Mr Carlaw suggested Mr Ross should be allowed to run unopposed, urging his colleagues to “unite behind him and back him all the way”.

If nobody else comes forward to run against him, Mr Ross could be elected as early as Wednesday when nominations officially close.

Mr Carlaw, 61, stood down on Thursday, leaving a void at the top of his party with barely nine months to go until the Holyrood election.

Less than six months after he officially succeeded Ms Davidson, Mr Carlaw said he had reached the “simple, if painful, conclusion” that he was not the right person for the job.

Ms Davidson, who is standing down at next May’s election, is set for a return to frontline politics in Scotland if Mr Ross wins the leadership.

As he is an MP at Westminster, he will not be able to take part in Holyrood debates until he is elected as an MSP in May, with Ms Davidson agreeing to deputise for him at First Minister’s Questions.

Mr Ross said: “This is a crucial time in Scottish politics. We are months away from an important election and need strong, decisive leadership of our party to take on and defeat the SNP in seats right across the country. My message to voters across Scotland will be this: if you want to build a better Scotland, if you want to beat the SNP and if you want to put the divisions of the past few years behind us, the party I plan to lead is one you can unite behind, and one that can win.”

The MP said ensuring that Scotland remained an “integral part of the United Kingdom” would be his priority.

He said: “I want us to show clearly to everyone in Scotland, no matter where they live or who they are, that if they want to move on from the divisions of the past and focus on the issues that really matter – a strong economy, good schools, safe streets and a world-leading NHS – then the Scottish Conservatives will be their voice. Scotland is an integral part of the United Kingdom and that’s a relationship I want to maintain and improve. Under my leadership, this will be an absolute priority.”

Mr Ross said he had been urged by colleagues to run for the leadership. He said Downing Street and Number 10 aide Mr Cummings were “absolutely not” involved in his decision to stand. Discussing Mr Carlaw, he said: “I think Jackson made a very honest and very brave appraisal of his leadership. He’s someone who has served this party extremely well for four decades.”

Speaking of his own plans for the leadership, Mr Ross added: “I believe as someone who has been a councillor, an MP and an MSP, I can take the fight to the SNP, which we need more of, and also present a positive vision of the party to the country in next May’s election.”

Mr Ross said he would stay on as an MP, and would also continue in his role as a football referee, which he described as a “hobby that I do at the weekends”.

He said: “It’s something that I find a great relief from the often stressful world of politics. “While some politicians enjoy sitting down, relaxing, reading a book or going for a walk, I enjoy running around for 90 minutes officiating matches across Scotland.”

He said there was precedent for an MSP to also sit as an MP, citing Alex Salmond as an example. Asked about recent polls which indicated the SNP is on course to win a majority in next year’s Holyrood vote, he said: “I’m absolutely in this to be first minister. No one should enter any race for an election if they don’t think they can win.”

On Ms Davidson stepping forward from the backbenches to once again take on Nicola Sturgeon at FMQs, Mr Ross said: “We need someone who’s been there, done that and has a proven track record.”

Michelle Ballantyne, the Tory MSP who stood against Mr Carlaw in the last leadership contest, said the party “did make a bad choice” in appointing him as leader, and she suggested he had been removed in a “stitch up”.

But fellow party MSP Adam Tomkins, who is to quit Holyrood at the 2021 election, told the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland radio programme: “Michelle doesn’t know what she’s talking about.

“The only thing that we need to remember about Michelle is that she was beaten 75/25 in a two-horse race by Jackson Carlaw only a few months ago and I’m afraid that Michelle doesn’t speak for the party.”

Mr Tomkins added: “I think the reason why we’re worried about the polls is because we think that they might be right for the first time in Scottish history.

“Independence now looks like it might not be the minority pursuit that it’s always been but the position of a majority of Scots and we need to do something about that.

“I think Douglas is exactly that kind of combination of formidable and robust and determined that we do need...I think he will be an outstanding candidate and an outstanding leader.”