Scottish Tory hopefuls pitch plans to change party at first hustings

The three candidates in the Scottish Conservative leadership contest have all pledged to bring change to the party, at the first hustings event.

Russell Findlay, Meghan Gallacher and Murdo Fraser all said the Tories need to redefine themselves beyond the question of Scottish independence, and Ms Gallacher said the party had become “reactionary”.

Veteran MSP Murdo Fraser was questioned about the structure of the party.

He also said his earlier comments about seeking a “coronation” were merely him “being cheeky”.

Mr Findlay, the party’s justice spokesman, said the contest must not become a “backroom stitch-up”.

The first of eight official hustings took place at the Glynhill Hotel in Renfrew on Saturday, and a televised debate will take place on STV.

Several dozen party members and councillors gathered to question the three hopefuls, who were each given half an hour to make an opening statement before taking questions from the floor individually.

She said: “Scotland knows what we stand against but do they know what we stand for?

“We’ve become a reactionary party and we don’t give Scots a positive reason to vote for us.”

Taking questions, she told one member that the Scottish Tories should hold more social events and the party needs to be “fun again” – saying her grandparents had first met at a “Conservative do”.

One Tory member asked her about drug abuse in society, and Ms Gallacher criticised the SNP’s “appalling handling” of the drugs deaths crisis.

The same member caused an intake of breath from the room when he said “those who are already destroyed by drugs, I think on the whole are a lost cause”.

He also said: “No point in going after the bad boys, because as soon as you shoot one down, another pops up.”

“It certainly should not be some form of backroom stitch-up.”

He said he offered “leadership for change” and there was applause when he said there must be no more discussion of “splitting from the UK party”.

Many of the questions he faced focused on justice and legal issues, and he criticised sentencing guidelines for under 25s, saying this had led to “perverse” cases of offenders receiving overly lenient treatment.

One member asked him how bad behaviour and bullying in schools should be dealt with, asking: “What are we going to do about these feral children?”

Mr Findlay said those who are serially disruptive in the classroom must be removed, and criticised the recent changes which allow those aged up to 18 to be referred to children’s hearings rather than criminal courts.

He said the recent Conservative prime ministers had let down members, and criticised Douglas Ross for announcing his intention to step down while the party was fighting an election campaign.

Mr Fraser said Reform poses a “real threat” to the Conservatives and argued against “embracing” its leader, Nigel Farage.

The Mid Scotland and Fife MSP ran unsuccessfully against Ruth Davidson for the party leadership in 2011, suggesting at the time the Scottish Tories should break away from the party south of the border.

He has since said he no longer supports this move and is instead promising an independent commission to examine the party’s future.

One Tory member was dismissive of this proposal, saying “whenever anyone talks about commissions I want to reach for my revolver”.

Mr Fraser said any constitutional change the commission recommended would have to be supported by a two-thirds majority of members.

He also cautioned against making the Conservatives merely a “kingmaker” for Scottish Labour, saying: “If people think we’re automatically going to put Anas Sarwar into Bute House, why vote for us? They might as well cut out the middleman and vote Labour.”

Another member referred to his earlier comments about the race becoming a “coronation”, suggesting it had damaged relations with the grassroots.

Mr Fraser said he was “being a wee bit cheeky” with the comments at his campaign launch, but that that it would be “awkward” to continue to have Douglas Ross in place as leader while the leadership contest continues.

Speaking to journalists after the event, Mr Fraser said it was “hypothetical” to consider whether he would support any future split from the UK party if that is what the independent commission recommends.

Nominations for the leadership race have now closed and ballots will be sent to members on September 4, and the winner announced on September 27.