How the Scottish Tories leadership race will work - timetable, candidates, votes needed

The party has unveiled its timetable for replacing Douglas Ross as leader after the management board met on Wednesday night.

What is the timetable for the Scottish Tory leadership race?

After a two-week consultation with party members, it has been decided to officially open nominations on Thursday, August 8.

Nominations will close at midday on Thursday, August 22. Hustings events with all the confirmed candidates will be arranged for after this date, as well as a national digital hustings.

Ballot papers will then be posted out to members on Wednesday, September 4, and the ballot will close at midday on Thursday, September 26. The winner will be announced on Friday, September 27.

This is five weeks before a successor to Rishi Sunak as leader of the UK Conservatives is announced.

Who are the candidates?

Candidates will need to secure the backing of at least 100 party members to stand for election. So far six MSPs have said they will be standing as candidates in the leadership race.

This includes Brian Whittle MSP and Murdo Fraser MSP, who both exclusively launched their leadership bids in The Scotsmand.

Other contenders are deputy leader Meghan Gallacher MSP, former deputy leader Liam Kerr MSP, Jamie Greene MSP, and bookies’ favourite Russell Findlay MSP.

Mr Whittle is a former Olympian, having represented Team GB at the 1988 Seoul Olympics and 1990 Auckland Commonwealth Games. He also won gold medals in the 4x400m relay at both the 1986 and 1994 European athletics championships and still coaches the next generation of athletes.

Mr Whittle grew up in Troon and after campaigning for Scotland to remain in the UK at the 2014 independence referendum, he became an MSP for South Scotland in 2016 and is now the party’s environment, biodiversity and land reform spokesman.

Mr Findlay meanwhile worked as a journalist for 30 years at the Sunday Mail, Scottish Sun, STV and BBC, and in 2015 was targeted in an acid attack outside his home in Glasgow.

He became the party’s director of communications in 2020 and was elected as an MSP for West Scotland in 2021.

Meghan Gallacher is the party’s deputy leader and has been an MSP for Central Scotland since 2021.

Liam Kerr MSP represents the North East region and is the party’s education spokesman - he was previously the party’s deputy leader under Jackson Carlaw MSP.

Jamie Greene MSP represents West Scotland and currently has no roles within the party, despite having previously held education spokesman and justice spokesman roles. He previously said he believes he was sacked from the frontbenches for supporting the SNP’s gender reforms which aimed to make it easier for trans people to legally change their gender.

The latest person to put their hat in the ring is Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Murdo Fraser.

He has been an MSP since 2001 and previously suggested the party break away from the UK Conservatives when he ran against Ruth Davidson for leader in 2011 - however he says that idea will not form part of his 2024 campaign.

What voting system will be used for the party election?

The party is going to use the preferential voting system for this election. Members will be asked to rank their chosen candidates in order of preference, and the bottom ranked candidate will be eliminated in each round of voting.

The first preference votes will then be redistributed until one candidate receives over 50 per cent of the vote.

Mr Hoy said: “Following a two-week consultation with members and elected representatives, the management board met to agree the rules and timetable for the leadership election. We look forward to an open contest where candidates will be able to outline their plans and policies at hustings to be held around Scotland in the coming weeks.

“Once candidates have had the opportunity to set out their stalls, a full ballot of our members will determine the next leader of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party.”

How long will Douglas Ross remain party leader?

Mr Ross will remain party leader until a successor is announced on September 27.

The Highlands and Islands MSP announced his resignation during the general election campaign after a backlash following his decision to replace David Duguid as the candidate for Aberdeenshire North and Moray East.

The management board is made up on chairman Craig Hoy, Mr Ross, national convener Charles Kennedy, honorary secretary Leonard Wallace, treasurer Hamish Mair, East of Scotland regional convener Anne Connell, north of Scotland regional convener Gillian Tebberen, and a West of Scotland regional convener.

Mr Ross did not take part in the meeting on Wednesday evening.