A SENIOR Scottish Tory has urged party members not to engage in “blue-on-blue attacks” after criticising a leadership candidate’s proposal to consider splitting the party from its UK counterpart.
The Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser was accused of a “Trojan horse” attempt to break up the party by shadow Scottish secretary John Lamont.
In 2011, during a leadership race against Ruth Davidson, Fraser proposed breaking away from UK party.
Announcing his bid this week, Fraser said he no longer favoured the move but would set up a commission to assess the relationship between the parties north and south of the Border.
The MSP joined Russell Findlay, Brian Whittle, deputy leader Meghan Gallacher, Liam Kerr and Jamie Greene in the race, with nominations opening on Thursday.
But Lamont hit out at the idea while simultaneously calling for candidates not to attack one another.
Writing in the Daily Mail, he said: “As it stands, this looks like a commission to separate our party.
“It looks like a Trojan horse for splitting the party and raises more questions than it answers.
“Will we really go into the 2026 Holyrood election and ask voters to back us today, even though we might not exist as a party after that?”
He added: “If it’s a Trojan horse to divide the party, then members should know that upfront.
“If it’s just an attempt to avoid being straight about his position in this leadership contest, that’s not right.
“As Ruth Davidson said a few weeks ago, a divided party is a short route to electoral suicide.”
Lamont served as Ruth Davidson’s campaign manager when she defeated Fraser more than a decade ago.
Yet despite the clear criticism of Fraser, Lamont said candidates should avoiding attacking one other.
“It’s important to avoid ‘blue-on-blue attacks’ in this contest, so I was a little dismayed to see Murdo’s campaign launch include strident criticism of Douglas Ross and his team which, of course, includes Meghan Gallacher, one of the candidates in this race, and several other MSP colleagues,” he wrote.
With encouragement from Parliamentary colleagues, Party activists, & senior figures in the business community, I’m announcing my candidacy today for @ScotTories leadership. This Party - and Scotland - need real change, and with your help I will deliver it (1/4) pic.twitter.com/Ilfl2CgQbY
— Murdo Fraser (@murdo_fraser) August 7, 2024
In Fraser’s campaign launch video he claimed Conservative members had been “let down” by leadership north and south of the border in recent years.
It is not clear which of the six candidates Lamont is backing in the race, although he described deputy leader Meghan Gallacher as a “rising star” in the party and said it was not “appropriate” for a senior MSP such as Fraser to “criticise her personally, even if it was indirectly”.
Responding on X/Twitter, Fraser said: “I won’t be indulging in blue-on-blue attacks on other candidates or misrepresenting their platforms in the @ScotTories leadership race, and I am disappointed that others don’t seem to be taking the same approach.
“Whoever wins we need to have a united party to go move forward.”
Lamont’s comments were also criticised by leadership candidate Brian Whittle – who said he was “disappointed that John has decided to try and create division where non[e] exists”.
The Tory MSP Stephen Kerr said the proposal for a commission was supported by all leadership candidates except Russell Findlay, adding: “There’s nothing Trojan horse about it.
“The party members would have the final say on the commission’s recommendations, not the party leader. But you know that.”
MSPs in the running to replace Douglas Ross will need 100 nominations by noon on August 22 to make it onto the membership ballot, with a number of hustings due to take place across the country and virtually.
Ballots close on September 26, with the winner announced the following day.
