Douglas Ross Tory reshuffle: MSP takes swipe at 'unacceptable slump' in Scottish Tory poll performance as reshuffle announced

Mr Ross used the reshuffle to sack two MSPs on his frontbench

Douglas Ross has sacked two of his frontbenchers as part of a reshuffle that has sparked anger among some within the Scottish Conservative group, with one MSP who was not given a role attacking the party’s “slump in the polls” as “clearly unacceptable”.

The moves come after months of speculation about Mr Ross’s future in the top role. MSP anger flared in late April when the party leader appeared to call on voters to back Labour in the next election to defeat SNP candidates.

In October, there were reports of two separate plots seeking to remove him as leader, though Tory sources suggest Mr Ross is safe from challenge for now, partly due to how unattractive the role is.

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross during First Minster's Questions (FMQ's) at the Scottish Parliament in Holyrood, Edinburgh.

Stephen Kerr, the party’s education spokesperson, and Jamie Greene, the party’s justice spokesperson, are both now without a formal spokesperson role or committee convenorship after losing being demoted.

Liam Kerr, the former net zero spokesperson, has been moved to education, while Russell Findlay has been promoted to take on the justice portfolio. Another promotion is Douglas Lumsden, the former co-leader of Aberdeen council, who has taken over the net zero brief.

It is understood the “primary motivation” for the reshuffle was to promote some of the 2021 intake of MSPs, which includes both Mr Findlay and Mr Lumsden.

Mr Findlay, a former journalist, is tipped by some to be best placed to become the next leader of the party. The decision of Mr Kerr to contest the Angus and Perthshire Glens seat at the next general election is also understood to be central to some of the decisions made by Mr Ross.

The newly created seat is one of the top targets of the party at the next general election due to including some “fertile areas”, with sources stating the lack of a spokesperson role would allow Mr Kerr to focus on winning that seat and returning to Westminster as an MP.

The demotion of Mr Greene, however, is due to both needing to find space for a promotion, but also due to his decision to back the Scottish Government’s gender recognition reform Bill.

The MSP, who is gay, voted for the legislation alongside former leader Jackson Carlaw and health spokesperson Dr Sandesh Gulhane, who keeps his role in the reshuffle.

Speaking at the end of the criminal justice committee meeting, Mr Greene appeared to take a swipe at Mr Ross’s decision to remove him from his role in justice.

Mr Green thanked the committee for how it goes about its work in a “positive manner” and with “the good accord and rapport that we’ve enjoyed over the last years”, before stating this was something he believed was “sorely lacking in politics these days”.

In a later statement, he said he was “disappointed” to lose the justice role.

He said: “Politics is at its heart the very process of managing such disagreements. That process is characteristic of a healthy democracy, but it is a character sorely lacking in Scottish politics.

"It is okay to disagree, both within an between political parties. Or at least, it should be.

"I take great personal pride in standing up for the things I believe to be right, uncompromisingly so. Which is why I got into politics in the first place.

"Free thinking and standing up for your principles are qualities that I take pride in; and pride is something to celebrate, not hide away.”

Maurice Golden, who led the Scottish Conservative attacks on the Scottish Government’s deposit return scheme, is the third MSP left without a role.

He told The Scotsman: “Obviously I’m disappointed not to be re-joining the shadow cabinet – it’s no secret the issues I’m interested in and passionate about.

“But I’ll be using my time to focus on my Dog Abduction Bill, net zero policies and, of course, continuing to work hard for my constituents across the North East.

“We’ve got a big few years coming up. Our slump in the polls is clearly unacceptable and I look forward to working with everyone else in the party to find a way to reverse that and get into a position to be challenging for government in 2026.”

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