What the Tory leadership candidates have said about Scotland

The winner of the race will be announced on Saturday, almost four months after the general election defeat that triggered Rishi Sunak’s resignation.

But what have they said about Scotland, and which Scottish Tories are supporting them?

Kemi Badenoch

Considered the frontrunner, Ms Badenoch has been endorsed by MSPs Murdo Fraser and Tess White, as well as Tory MP Andrew Bowie.

The former Business Secretary has met virtually with MSPs during the leadership campaign, and stressed she will work closely with them if elected.

She said: "I will continue to work in collaboration with MSP colleagues if I am elected leader. This includes respecting that on some policy issues it will be important for the Scottish Conservatives to diverge from a UK party position. That's what devolution is all about.

"I am passionate about continuing to make the case for the benefits of our United Kingdom. Our MSPs are at the coalface of that fight, and with me as leader they will have an ally and a champion in taking the fight to this failing SNP Government."

On policy, Ms Badenoch has said she believes the union to be a “voluntary union”, but explained that didn’t mean she supported another referendum.

She said: “A voluntary union doesn't mean something which people can just press a button at any point, and then it all unravels.”

Ms Badenoch has also ruled out devolving immigration. She said: “The borders are the borders of the United Kingdom, not the borders between Scotland and England.”

Robert Jenrick

Making his pitch to Scottish voters, Robert Jenrick insisted he is pro-devolution but against devolving more powers to Holyrood.

In an interview with the BBC earlier this month, Mr Jenrick said he would not devolve any more powers to Holyrood and rejected the idea of a separate Scottish work visa.

He said: “I don’t support that. It’s impractical - you can’t ask someone to come to this country for a job in Edinburgh and then prevent them from moving to a job in Newcastle a few months down the line.

“It is unnecessary. Unemployment in Scotland is not so different from the rest of the UK.

“We need proper policy on skills and jobs, and more work from both governments on this.”

Mr Jenrick has also said he would not seek the consent of the Scottish Parliament to leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

The former immigration minister explained leaving the convention was a reserved matter and stressed he would therefore not ask the Scottish Parliament for legislative consent if the Conservatives were in power in Westminster.

As for support, he has been backed by the Dumfries and Galloway MP, John Cooper, as well as the Berwickshire, Roxburgh & Selkirk MP, John Lamont.

A survey of Tory members by the ConservativeHome website last week suggested Ms Badenoch had the lead, by 55 per cent to 31 per cent. The result will be annnounced on Saturday.