Douglas Ross to stand down as Scottish Tory leader after election

Douglas Ross is to stand down as the leader of the Scottish Conservatives following the General Election.

Ross announced he will quit as the party’s leader following the July 4 election, and will also stand down as an MSP should he win the Aberdeenshire North and Moray East seat.

Former UK Government minister David Duguid had wanted to fight the seat, but the Scottish Conservative Party management board ruled ill health meant he should not stand.

Ross confirmed last week that he would put himself forward for the constituency.

It comes after he had previously vowed he would step down from Westminster to focus on Holyrood and his role as party leader.

Ross has now said it is “not feasible” to continue as leader if he is re-elected to Westminster.

A statement from Ross read: “I have served as MP, MSP and Leader for over three years now and believed I could continue to do so if re-elected to Westminster, but on reflection, that is not feasible.

“I am committed to fighting and winning the Aberdeenshire North and Moray East constituency.

“Should I be given the honour to represent the people and communities of this new seat, they should know being their MP would receive my complete focus and attention.

“I will therefore stand down as Leader following the election on July 4th, once a successor is elected.

“Should I win the seat, I will also stand down as an MSP to make way for another Scottish Conservative representative in Holyrood.

“My party has a chance to beat the SNP in key seats up and down Scotland, including in Aberdeenshire North and Moray East.

“We must now come together and fully focus on doing exactly that.”

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Ross had a record to be proud of as Scottish Conservatives leader.

He told broadcasters: “He and I have worked together on two freeports for Scotland, attracting jobs and investment, standing up to the SNP’s misguided gender recognition reforms and also being unashamedly champions of Scotland’s North Sea energy industry, the only party to have consistently done that.

“So I think that’s a track record that Douglas can be proud of and I’ve enjoyed working with him, but I respect his decision”.

Ian Bailey of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, Andy Brown of the Scottish Labour Party, Jo Hart of Reform UK and Seamus Logan of Scottish National Party are also contesting the same seat as Ross.

Scottish Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie said she wished Ross the “best of luck” but added: “It’s clear that this divided and chaotic Tory party is out of time and out of ideas.

“Voters know that this rotten Tory Government has nothing to offer Scotland – it’s no wonder Douglas Ross has given up on trying to resuscitate the Scottish Tories’ flailing campaign.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton claimed Ross’ decision was “yet more proof of a Conservative party in abject disarray”.

He said: “Just like the SNP, the Tories have been in power for too long, breaking rules and taking you for granted.

“They aren’t focussed on what really matters like fast access to your GP, seeing an NHS dentist, tackling sewage dumping and lifting up Scottish education.

“People all across Scotland have had enough. The Conservatives have got to go.”

Meanwhile, Alba leader Alex Salmond called on Ross to resign as candidate for Aberdeenshire East and Moray: “The first case of a rat deserting the sinking ship while simultaneously trying to clamber aboard a gravy train.

“Douglas Ross requires to resign as candidate for Aberdeenshire North and Moray East, where he stabbed David Duguid in the back.”

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