New leader of Scottish Conservatives to be announced
Either Russell Findlay, Murdo Fraser or Meghan Gallacher will take on the party’s top job in Scotland
The leader of the Scottish Conservatives will be announced on Friday.
Russell Findlay, Murdo Fraser and Meghan Gallacher are on the ballot paper, with one of the three set to take over from Douglas Ross in Holyrood.
The field narrowed from six to three after Brian Whittle, Jamie Greene and Liam Kerr dropped their bid for the top job.
Polls closed for Scottish Tory members – of which there are believed to be around 7,000 – at noon on Thursday, with the result due to be announced at around 10am on Friday.
Whoever takes on the top job will inherit a difficult legacy from Mr Ross, who was driven out of the role following his decision to stand in the Aberdeenshire North and Moray East seat at Westminster in place of former MP David Duguid, who was recovering from a spinal stroke.
The newest incumbent will also face a punishing first few days.
As well as an intense media round following the announcement on Friday, a ceremony to mark the 25th anniversary of devolution is being held at the Scottish Parliament on Saturday, with the new leader due to join others in making a speech before the King and Queen.
Within 24 hours, they will need to head to the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, where they will undertake a number of engagements.
Appointments of their frontbench team are expected to take place next week.
Elections expert Professor Sir John Curtice told the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland radio programme on Friday that the leadership election had been “fractious”, after a period when the party has seen its support fall away in the two years running up to the election.
Sir John said: “We’re talking about a party that has got just over 12.5% of the vote in the general election, its worst performance ever.”
