EUAN MCCOLM – Memo to the next Scots Tory leader: You’ll only thrive from compassionate centre ground

In a general Election campaign with all the twists and excitement of a Netflix drama, nothing should surprise us.

Yet, even in these turbulent and unpredictable times, Douglas Ross’s announcement that he will step down as leader of the Scots remains Conservatives came like a bolt from the blue.

Mr. Ross had reached something of a political pinnacle. His pursuit of the incompetent Humza Yousaf, which led to his resignation as prime minister, made Mr Ross a shrewd and necessarily ruthless political player.

Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross announced earlier this week that he will leave office after the general election

But after angering his colleagues with his decision to stand for the Westminster seats of Aberdeenshire North and Moray East when the party blocked candidate David Duguid on health grounds, Ross has clearly decided he can make do without the mutual struggle and the anonymous critical briefing that haunted him. during his time as leader.

Good luck

But if any of his critics think he can lead the Scottish Tories better than Mr Ross, they are in for a rude awakening.

You could say that the Scottish Tories have become victims of their own success.

In the aftermath of the 2014 referendum campaign, when Scottish Labor panicked over the loss of support for the SNP and tried – quite unsuccessfully – to appeal to both Unionists and Nationalists, it was the Conservatives who stepped up to support the pro- defend the British position. .

By firmly adhering to the ‘no to Indyref2’ message, the party once considered almost extinct was reborn under the leadership of Ruth – now Baroness – Davidson.

Ross continued that strategy and secured his party’s position as the second largest – and most important opposition – in Holyrood in the 2021 Holyrood elections.

That opposition to a second referendum kept the SNP’s plans at bay and Ross’s recent role in bringing down Mr Yousaf proved a devastating blow to both the SNP and the wider independence movement.

What is the USP of the Scottish Tories, which has played a role in ending the imminent threat of another referendum?

Well, the party stood out to many with its stance on reforming the Gender Recognition Act.

While the Scottish Government and the other opposition parties ignored the entirely legitimate concerns of feminists, medical experts, lawyers and a majority of Scots about allowing people to identify themselves with the legally recognized ‘gender’ of their choice, it was Tories – with a few notable others elsewhere in Holyrood – who stepped up and tried to inject some common sense into the proceedings.

In any case, this issue is one where the Scottish Conservatives and the majority of the Scottish people are on equal footing.

Who will be the next leader of the Scottish Conservative Party? Potential candidates are keeping tight-lipped for the time being.

“People are quite angry that Douglas announced his resignation in the middle of the election campaign,” said one Tory member.

“So no one will say a word about whether they want the job until the votes are counted. We already have enough distractions without people running leadership campaigns, while we should be focused on retaining seats.’

Potential successors include deputy leader Meghan Gallacher, justice spokesperson Russell Findlay, former deputy leader Murdo Fraser and party chairman Craig Hoy.

Of these, Mr. Findlay is perhaps the most interesting choice. A former investigative journalist whose work exposing organized crime led to him suffering an acid attack on his doorstep, he is a strong communicator and confident debater.

Mr. Findlay has also demonstrated a sharp mind during his time as deputy chairman of the criminal justice committee.

But a good instinct for where the public stands on law and order will not be enough for any new Tory leader.

While Britain’s Tory party has lurched to the right, chasing votes lost to Nigel Farage’s reform, the Scottish party has remained firmly in the middle.

It was often the case that when Mr Ross was taunted at Holyrood over the actions of a Conservative Prime Minister, he would privately agree with the criticism.

The next leader must guard against any pressure to move from that middle area.

“If the party is ever going to play a role in Scotland’s government, even in a confidence and supply deal, we cannot move an inch from the centre,” says a Conservative MSP.

Battered

‘The next leader must keep a considerable distance between us and the party in England. That should be easier after the election, assuming we lose.

‘At least the next Scottish leader won’t be hit over the head for all the unpopular things a Tory Prime Minister has done.’

Ross’s successor could do worse on policy than look back to the days of Annabel Goldie.

Ms Goldie – who led the party from 2005 to 2011 and now sits in the House of Lords – is a rather old-fashioned one-nation Tory, cautious on public finances but supportive of their direction towards tackling the problems facing the most vulnerable face. .

When the SNP announced its ‘free prescription policy’ (essentially the extension of an existing prescription policy to the wealthy) Ms Goldie was an opponent.

She was caricatured as cruel and uncaring. After all, who else but a big, bad Tory could oppose such a wonderful policy from such a generous government?

The truth is that Mrs. Goldie was more thoughtful on the matter than any of her opponents. She opposed the prescription policy – ​​which at the time cost around £50 million a year – not because she wanted to cut funding for the NHS, but because she believed it would not materially improve the lives of the poorest.

Addiction

Perhaps, she suggested, the money could be redirected to other important areas, not least tackling drug addiction.

You could argue that when it came to these policies, Ms. Goldie had a more “progressive” view than any of her left-wing opponents.

If the Scottish Tories are to survive, a compassionate, centre-right position is all that can be adopted.

The Scottish Tories may not be around much longer.

Some want Murdo Fraser to stand his ground and revive his plan – ridiculed during his losing leadership campaign against Ruth Davidson in 2011 – to cut ties with the British party and rebrand it, creating a new centre-right party in Scotland arises.

“At the time,” says one MSP, “the mood was not good. David Cameron was in Downing Street, so the party was in the middle and a referendum was on the horizon. None of these things are true now. Maybe it’s time for Murdo’s idea.’

Whoever becomes the next Scottish Tory leader, one thing is certain: Douglas Ross has achieved more during his time than his critics admit.