Ruth Davidson says disgraced Tory councillors '˜want to change'

Ruth Davidson has broken her silence over her decision to reinstate two Conservative councillors who were suspended by the party for posting racist and sectarian comments on Twitter.

Pic Greg Macvean - 22/06/2017 - Royal Highland Show, Ingliston - Ruth Davidson

The Scottish Tory leader said Alastair Majury and Robert Davies, who were both elected as Stirling councillors in May, “wanted to change” their behaviour and deserved a second chance.

Ms Davidson had previously been criticised by the SNP for failing to explain why she had decided to reinstate the pair, who were allowed back into the party earlier this week despite making a series of offensive online posts.

Mr Majury was behind a Twitter account which likened Scottish nationalists to the Nazis, attacked benefit claimants and made reference to “Tarriers”, a historically derogatory term for Catholics.

He also boasted about the size of his manhood on an online dating site. Mr Davies was also suspended after Tweeting a series of racist jokes.

“What they said was utterly unacceptable, there is no equivocation on that whatsoever,” Ms Davidson said. “As soon as it was raised with us, brought to our attention through these anonymous accounts, we took it very seriously. We went through a full disciplinary, they were sanctioned, they made a full and unreserved apology.