Scottish party ‘must look at being more independent’

A FRONTRUNNeR to replace Ruth Davidson said the Scottish Tories should consider becoming more independent of the UK party.

Constitution spokesman Adam Tomkins said that the Scottish party should debate whether or not to have further ‘differentiation’ between it and the UK Conservatives ahead of the upcoming leadership contest.

Finance spokesman Murdo Fraser, another MSP likely to consider standing, previously lost to Miss Davidson in the 2011 contest after proposing that the Scottish Tory brand should be scrapped and replaced by a centre-Right alternative.

A series of candidates are likely to battle for Miss Davidson’s vacated position, with the contest likely to start after the October recess – although party chiefs will decide whether it should be delayed until after Brexit happens.

Mr Tomkins, who is rumoured to be Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s preferred choice to become the next Scottish party leader, insisted he has not decided whether to stand, but said he is ‘not ruling anything in or out’.

He insisted he has never intended to stand as leader and would need to weigh up a range of factors, including family life.

But he said the party should use the period while Jackson Carlaw is in place as interim Scottish Tory leader

‘No reason not to consider it’

to ‘have a proper discussion about the size, shape, structure and direction of the party and what the relationship is with the rest of the party’.

He said: ‘Before we decide the leader, we have to decide what they want to lead.’

Mr Tomkins, who is a constitutional lawyer, said that the party must debate further ‘differentiation’ with the UK party.

He added: ‘I am not committed to any position on this. I am not saying we must “do a Murdo” but we must not be scared of discussing what we should do.

‘We should think about whether the UK party fights a general election in Scotland but some different organisation should fight a different Scottish election. I see no reason not to consider it.

‘The politics of 2019-20 is not the same as 2011-12. Politics has changed, we are a very different size of party, Scottish politics has moved on and British politics has moved on.’

He added: ‘We would be foolish not to think of this question afresh.’

As well as Mr Tomkins and Mr Fraser, other contenders are likely to be Donald Cameron, who has the task of preparing the early stages of the party’s manifesto for the 2021 election and is regarded as one of the brains behind the current operation.

Miles Briggs, the Scottish Conservative health spokesman, also confirmed last night that he is ‘thinking about it and taking soundings’ within the party.

He said: ‘For many of us who have been working alongside Ruth for eight years, Project Ruth is sadly over. But Project Union is critical.

‘A lot of us were elected because people wanted us to be a strong opposition and reinforce the decision to be part of the United Kingdom.

‘If 2021 is about that then the fundamentals of that are still just as strong, even if Ruth Davidson is not our saleswoman any more.’

Chief Whip Maurice Golden is also expected to be in the running, while transport spokesman Jamie Greene is likely to put his name forward.

Outside bets include equalities spokesman Annie Wells, while MPs including Douglas Ross, who represents Moray, could also join the race.