RUSSELL Findlay has today become the new leader of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, following a ballot of members.
The West Scotland MSP secured 2,565 votes in the party’s leadership election, to finish ahead of fellow candidates Murdo Fraser on 1,187 votes and Meghan Gallacher on 403 votes. The turnout for the election was 60 per cent.
Findlay has been serving as an MSP for the West of Scotland since 2021 and has been the party’s spokesperson on justice. He had been clear favourite to win after a well-organised campaign, having received support from Ruth Davidson, the leading figure of the Scottish party’s recent successes, and numerous members of the Scottish Parliament.
Findlay already has a busy upcoming schedule, with a ceremony to celebrate the 25th anniversary of devolution at the Scottish Parliament on Saturday, where he will deliver a speech before the King and Queen, and then attending the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, where he will participate in various events.
The leadership race was sparked when Douglas Ross stepped down from his leadership position following a revolt by members of the Scottish Parliament against his decision to replace David Duguid, who was recovering from surgery, as the party’s candidate for the general elections in Aberdeenshire North and Moray East. This decision was met with anger from party members as Ross had previously indicated his intention to remain in Holyrood.
In a speech to the media and party members after the result was announced in Edinburgh, Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay had a message for those “scunnered by the divisive policies” of the Scottish Parliament. He said:
“Under my leadership the Scottish Conservatives are going to change. We will work hard to earn your trust by doing things differently.
“We will be a voice for decent, mainstream Scotland and for the values of hard work, self-reliance and fairness for taxpayers.
“We’ll spend all our time and energy on your concerns, your hopes and your needs.
“We know you don’t expect miracles from politicians. We know you just want some common sense, for a change. And we are determined to deliver it.”
The Scottish Conservatives rank as the second-biggest group in the Scottish Parliament, just after the SNP with 31 members, but they risk dropping to third position in the upcoming Scottish Parliament election in 2026. Recent surveys in Holyrood show the Tories at their lowest point at just 12%, trailing Reform.
The appointment of the Russell Findlay’s Scottish Conservative front bench team is expected to occur next week.
