While we bucked the national trend in holding five of our six seats in Scotland, our vote plummeted to its lowest level in decades and in seats across the central belt we were beaten by Nigel Farage’s populist Reform UK.  

So, it’s time to be blunt.  

The Scottish Conservatives’ messaging isn’t working. We are the only mainstream party on the centre-right in Scotland, yet we’ve failed in being positive about our convictions.  

Since the Scottish Parliament’s official reopening in 1999 the people of Scotland have been let down – let down by a permanent political class in Edinburgh whose lefty consensus has stifled homeownership, development, economic growth and good quality public services. Its expansion of the public sector means they refuse to think outside the box in how we reform it and make it work more effectively for our citizens.  

Yet, of all the political parties currently represented in Holyrood, it is only mine who has not been in government and sadly, it has little prospect of doing that if we continue as is.  

In the coming weeks, the Scottish Conservatives will embark on the process of electing our new leader.  

That must be a contest with a full and frank discussion of ideas on how we rebuild our movement.  

It means having difficult conversations about the future of our relationship with our Westminster colleagues and what our party’s future policy platform should look like as we move into 2026 and beyond.  

The prospect of Anas Sarwar as First Minister might give other pro-UK politicians a bit of hope that Scotland’s dabble with nationalism is over, but it fills me with dread.  

Scottish Labour have shown themselves time and again to be nothing more than SNP-lite when it comes to the big problems facing our nation. Their empty rhetoric of “change” is as hollow as their leader's personality. And, if they win, it’ll be five more years of decline for our economy followed by a likely resurgence of SNP grievance and on goes Scotland’s Groundhog Day with failed left-wing politics.  

So, it’s on us Conservatives to offer a real alternative for Scotland.  

I joined the Scottish Conservatives aged 14 from a working-class background because I believed in our party’s core belief – opportunity for all and aspiration for our people. It’s time we re-energise those values and make them fit for a new generation, so my son has an opportunity to grow up in a Scotland where competition and aspiration are encouraged, not talked down.  

That’s what I want to hear from the contenders in the upcoming leadership contest. A fresh approach to modern challenges.  

Keir Starmer’s Labour government is beatable, as is John Swinney’s nationalist brigade of failure.  

But, only by being true to our principles and offering a positive policy platform can we on the centre-right start to win back trust.  

It won’t be easy, but the Scottish Conservatives must not squander the opportunity that lies before us.