I know all three leading candidates for Reform's Scottish leader. Here's how I think they'd cope

But if he does devolve responsibility, there are three frontrunners – all former Conservatives. I worked with the trio during a decade in the Tory press office. This is how I think they would cope leading a party in the welter of Scottish politics.

Graham Simpson. In defecting last month to become Reform’s only MSP, dry-humoured Simpson is now the party’s most senior representative in Scotland. Once described by a political hack as an “unappreciated robot undertaker”, he doesn’t ooze charisma.

His political switch came as no surprise; he’s been filed under “disaffected” since being elected in 2016. Always overlooked for senior Shadow Cabinet jobs, he had to make do in mid-rank roles like “connectivity spokesman” – unappreciated indeed.

Can someone constantly unhappy behind the scenes adapt to a leadership role which involves holding together a nascent and restive group? Despite his underwhelming stage presence, Simpson, a former senior newspaper sub-editor, is witty and clever, and respected cross-party in Holyrood. He may yet make a surprisingly effective frontman.

Ross Thomson. His youthful demeanour disguises strong political experience. First elected as an Aberdeen councillor in 2012, he’s been an MSP and an MP.

I first met him when he was a Tory candidate for the Donside by-election in 2013, a totally unwinnable seat when the party was in the doldrums. On the doorsteps, grannies liked him, businesses were impressed, and a local big beast – the late Alex Johnstone – saw potential.

Afterwards, Thomson sent a sincere hand-written card to the press office thanking us for our efforts, even though we’d done little and the party had been trounced. From memory, he’s the only candidate ever to have taken the trouble to do that.

His media persona is vastly different. He was aggressively pro-Brexit, and had absolutely no shame in backing Boris Johnson from an early juncture. He may argue time proved him correct, but other negative flashpoints ultimately led to his premature demise and exit from frontline politics.

That included being rebuked for visiting Iraq and posting a photo of himself in Saddam Hussein’s former throne with the barb: “Channelling my inner dictator.”

With those controversies behind him, he will feel ready for another tilt at high-level politics. Indeed, it may stand him in good stead.

Thomas Kerr. “Wee Thomas” was always a popular figure in the Conservatives, not least for the sheer authenticity of his story. His background makes Keir Hardie seem like an Old Etonian; both his parents were heroin addicts, his dad dying as a result in 2016.

He never sought sympathy, instead using it to fashion a reputation as a genuine representative of residents in his Glasgow Shettleston council ward. To now, he’s made a good fist of running Reform Scotland as a one-man band.

But while parenthood and increased scrutiny has toughened him up, it remains to be seen if he has the heft to lead. At just 29, he has plenty of time to gather knowledge as an MSP before being expected to run a party in which almost every member will be older than him.

Adam Morris is former director of communications for the Scottish Conservatives