Scottish Conservatives vow to work with Kemi Badenoch against 'threat of dangerous gender ideology'

The leader of the Scottish Conservatives says his party will work with Kemi Badenoch to stand against the “threat of dangerous gender ideology”.

Ms Badenoch became the first black woman to lead a major UK political party after winning the Conservative leadership contest by 12,418 votes.

In her victory speech, she promised to “renew” the party and told her supporters it is “time to get down to business”. 

Kemi Badenoch, the new Conservative Party leader.

Now Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay has vowed to “work constructively” with Ms Badenoch to hold both the SNP and Labour to account.

He also says the pair will work together to “stand up for women’s rights”.

In a statement Mr Findlay said: “My warmest congratulations to Kemi on her election as the new UK Conservative leader.

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“I look forward to us working constructively together to hold the high-tax SNP and Labour governments to account.

“Kemi and I share common-sense conservative values.

“We’re determined to deliver opportunities for people to get ahead and reduce taxes for aspirational workers and business owners.

Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay | Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

“We will continue to proudly champion our union and stand up for women’s rights from the threat of dangerous gender ideology.

“We are both committed to winning back public trust by focusing on the issues that impact on people’s lives.”

Mr Findlay did not endorse either of the candidates, however his deputy Rachael Hamilton MSP had backed Ms Badenoch in the leadership race.

During the general election campaign, Ms Badenoch said she would change the Equality Act to rewrite the definition of sex and allow organisations to bar transgender women from single-sex spaces such as sport and hospital wards.

At the time she said the protected characteristic of sex was biological sex.

The SNP says Ms Badenoch’s election has “finalised their lurch to the right”.

Deputy party leader Keith Brown says she wants to send civil servants to prison, roll back on maternity pay, embraces far-right culture wars, targets minority rights for political gain and has faced accusations of bullying.

Mr Brown said: “The election of Kemi Badenoch as leader has finalised the Tories’ lurch to the far right.

Deputy SNP leader Keith Brown | Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS

“Whether it’s rolling back maternity pay or targeting the rights of minorities, Badenoch’s win demonstrates how out of touch the Tories are with people across Scotland.

“The Tory party is now firmly dancing to the dangerous tune of Nigel Farage - it is essential that in Scotland Russell Findlay doesn’t dance along and instead stands up for Scotland’s inclusive and progressive values.

“With the Labour government punishing the most vulnerable in our society with cuts to pensioners’ winter fuel support and the Tories now being puppeted by Nigel Farage, it has never been more essential that Scotland escapes the Westminster chaos and charts a better future as an independent nation.”

Elsewhere in Holyrood Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar says Ms Badenoch needs to apologise for her party’s record.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar

He said: “The first thing any new Tory leader should do is apologise to Scots for gambling with families’ savings, crashing the economy and sending bills soaring while putting party before country.

“Yet with Badenoch already talking about cutting the maternity pay that is vital to young working families, it seems unlikely that the Tories have learned their lesson.

“The 2024 general election result made it clear that voters want change, not a return to a rotten Tory government.”