THERE are “legitimate questions” around Douglas Ross’s conduct that must be answered, the frontrunner to take over as leader of the Scottish Conservatives has said.
Russell Findlay raised the possibility of “appropriate action” as he said it was “important” to get to the bottom of exactly what had happened around the outgoing leader’s plotting to remain at Westminster.
It comes after reports that Ross had been on manoeuvres with the aim of retaining a seat in the London parliament – despite publicly telling party colleagues that he would stand down as an MP to focus on Holyrood.
Ross had approached Kathleen Robertson – the leader of Moray Council and the Tories’ General Election candidate in Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey – and asked her not to run. He allegedly told her he would stand for Westminster in her place, while Findlay took over as Scottish Tory leader.
Ross’s proposal was refused, although he has insisted he was actually just checking Robertson was committed to being the Tory candidate in the area.
Ross then went on to stand and lose in Aberdeenshire North and Moray East after the Tory candidate, former minister David Duguid, was ousted by party management on health grounds, grounds which Duguid denied were legitimate.
After news broke about Ross’s plotting in the Telegraph last week, the party’s leadership contest was plunged into chaos.
Four of the six candidates signed a joint letter calling for the race to be paused. A fifth, Meghan Gallacher, then resigned her position as depute leader of the Scottish Conservatives.
Findlay referenced the chaos in his speech to his supporters as he officially launched his leadership campaign at the Science Centre in Glasgow on Monday.
“I accept that the past week has shown our party in a fairly poor light,” he said.
“Legitimate questions need to be answered, but it's absolutely crucial that we don't turn inwards and lose sight of what’s really important.”
Asked by media after his speech what “legitimate questions” he was referencing, Findlay talked about both Duguid and Robertson’s situations, but avoided naming Ross directly.
He said: “I think questions that have been put around Kathleen Robertson, about what was said.
“These will be subject to [the] party’s attempt to work out what actually happened in the circumstances.
“And in addition, obviously, where some of this arose was around the decisions relating to David Duguid’s candidacy.
“Again, I’ve had the fortune of speaking with David, and I think it's important that we look at what has been said and we take appropriate action.”
However, Findlay did not back calls for Ross to immediately step down as Scottish Tory leader, instead saying he should stay on until the contest to replace him is decided.
Elsewhere at his campaign launch, where he was supported by MSPs Miles Briggs, Alexander Stewart, Rachael Hamilton, Annie Wells, and MP Andrew Bowie, Findlay said that the Scottish Conservatives had “lost that Ruth Davidson mojo”.
“Well, I think it’s time as a party to bring back some sunshine, positivity and hope,” he said.
Findlay said the Scottish Tories had been focusing too much on opposing policies they did not like, and not enough on promoting the policies they do.
“Yes, we’ll oppose the government when they get it wrong, but our focus should always be on proposing a positive alternative,” he said.
“Under my leadership, the Scottish Conservatives will once again speak for mainstream Scotland which has been neglected and marginalised during nearly two decades of miserable SNP rule.”
