Tories should name new leader – SNP

The Scottish Tories are facing calls to name a new leader before the general election amid claims a hardline Brexiteer will be “handpicked” by Boris Johnson. But there is little prospect of a replacement for Ruth Davidson being in place before the December vote, with interim leader Jackson Carlaw expected to continue in the role before a leadership vote is staged next year. The party has been without a permanent leader north of the Border since Ms Davidson resigned two months ago, admitting she was “hopelessly conflicted” over Brexit.

But the SNP points to “personalised letters” the party has sent to voters ostensibly from Ms Davidson seeking support.

SNP Edinburgh East MP Tommy Sheppard said: “Boris Johnson was too hard-line and right-wing even for Ruth Davidson to stomach.

“But now she’s the figurehead of their campaign pleading for people to vote for him in a general election. It’s duplicitous, cynical and voters will see right through it.

“She has left a vacancy at the helm for two months now, and still there’s no plans in place to appoint a successor. “Scottish voters deserve to know in advance of an election, or can otherwise assume the next leader of the Scottish Tories will be a hard-line Brexiteer handpicked by Boris Johnson.” The Tories had been considering a contest before the end of a year when a spring election looked likely, but the immediacy of the vote next month means Mr Carlaw is widely expected to head the campaign.

Miles Briggs, the Tory health spokesman, Liam Kerr, the justice spokesman, and Murdo Fraser, the finance spokesman, are considering running.