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Scottish Tories will elect new leader by end of September

PA Media Douglas Ross standing at the election count in July 2024PA Media
Douglas Ross announced he would quit during the general election campaign

The Scottish Conservatives will elect a new leader to replace Douglas Ross by the end of September.

MSPs Russell Findlay and Brian Whittle are both running for the job, with a number of others believed to be considering joining the race.

The party’s management board have set out the dates for the contest, with nominations opening on 8 August before the winner is announced on 27 September.

Mr Ross announced he would quit halfway through the general election campaign, amid a row over his failed bid to return to Westminster.

Getty Images Scottish Conservative leadership contender Russell Findlay in the lobby at HolyroodGetty Images
Scottish Conservative leadership contender Russell Findlay

He was selected as a candidate for Aberdeenshire North and Moray East - a seat he then lost - instead of David Duguid, who was in effect de-selected by the party.

There will be a series of hustings before voting begins early in September.

Scottish Conservative chairman Craig Hoy said he was looking forward to an "open contest".

He added: “Once candidates have had the opportunity to set out their stalls, a full ballot of our members will determine the next leader.”

Getty Images Scottish Conservative candidate Brian Whittle speaking in the lobby at HolyroodGetty Images
Brian Whittle is also in the running for leader

Candidates will need 100 nominations from party members to get on the ballot paper, and voting will follow a a preferential voting system, with members ranking their chosen candidates in order of preference.

The bottom ranked candidate will be eliminated in each round, with their first-preference votes redistributed until one candidate receives over 50% of votes cast.

Mr Findlay, the party's justice spokesperson at Holyrood, was the first candidate to announce he was running.

The former journalist promised to make the party leaders of "a patriotic conservative movement that stands for aspiration and ambition".

He said he was expecting a "positive contest" and that he hoped to unite the party "behind a common-sense Conservative platform".

Former athlete Brian Whittle announced his intention to run earlier this week.

He said that "education, enterprise and empowering people" should be placed at the core of the party.

The UK Conservative Party is also seeking a new leader, with that contest scheduled to run until 2 November.