Exclusive:Revealed: Tory MP sends lawyer's letter to Scottish leadership candidate as row escalates
A senior Tory MP has sent a Scottish Conservative leadership candidate a lawyer’s letter as a blue-on-blue row threatens to overshadow the contest.
A candidate vying to become the next leader of the Scottish Tories has accused a senior Conservative MP of “a significant error of judgement” by threatening an MSP in the leadership race with a lawyer’s letter.
It is understood John Lamont, the Conservative shadow Scotland Office spokesperson, has sent a lawyer’s letter to Meghan Gallacher over claims she has made about him trying to force her into pulling out of the leadership race.
Ms Gallacher has claimed the Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk MP threatened her career. She has accused Mr Lamont of falsely telling party members she would drop out of the race to endorse Murdo Fraser.
During a subsequent phone call to discuss the issue, Ms Gallacher said she felt Mr Lamont threatened her future political career and would be de-selected ahead of the Holyrood election in 2026.
Mr Lamont, who has announced his support for Russell Findlay in the contest, strongly denied the allegations, which he described as “defamatory and false”. He added: “I am now considering further action including legal options.”
The Scotsman now understands Ms Gallacher has received a lawyer’s letter on his behalf. The stand-off has been criticised by Mr Fraser, who is also in the running to lead the Scottish Conservatives.
Writing exclusively in The Scotsman, Mr Fraser warned “not all of the campaign has been so positive”.
He said: “There have been blue-on-blue attacks against my fellow candidate Meghan Gallacher and myself, and accusations of sexism and misogynistic bullying. We even had the extraordinary sight of the Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland threatening legal proceedings against Meghan after she raised a complaint about his behaviour.
“In any workplace, such alleged conduct would be deemed unacceptable, and it seems a significant error of judgment to engage lawyers to try and silence a complainant.
“It goes without saying that our members and supporters are dismayed by what they have seen.”
The bust-up between Ms Gallacher and Mr Lamont led to former Scottish Conservative leader Jackson Carlaw warning the rowing must stop if the party is to recover and pull together.
Mr Carlaw said: “There is genuine, genuine concern that the party is going to find it very difficult to come together after this leadership election, which we all have to do, because we have three excellent candidates.
“One of them will be elected leader. But the atmosphere is now becoming so toxic that I am appealing to people as a former leader, and as the oldest Conservative MSP, as someone who has not declared for any of the candidates, who is not tribally aligned, for people to wind their necks in now and allow the balance of this election to be conducted without further rancour and to be prepared to work together on the other side of it.”
Mr Fraser has insisted that Mr Carlaw was “entirely right” to warn “this conduct had to end or it would be very hard for whoever wins this contest to pull the party back together again in time for the vital Holyrood elections in 2026”.
He added: “We should all be listening to his wise words.”
A spokeswoman for Ms Gallacher did not respond to requests for comment.
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