A former Scottish journalist has announced that he has formally entered the leadership race for the Scottish Conservative Party. 

Scottish Tory justice spokesman Russell Findlay said he is bidding to succeed Douglas Ross, who stepped down during the general election campaign.

The campaign saw the number of Scottish Tory MPs fall to five, with Mr Ross failing to win the seat he had been contesting at Westminster. 

However, Mr Findlay believes under his leadership the party can win in Scotland – adding that the next Holyrood elections in 2026 could be a “defining moment”.

(Image: Image of PA)

Announcing his leadership bid in the Scottish Daily Mail, Mr Findlay said: “I’m standing for the leadership of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party because I believe that we have the chance to change Scotland for the better.

“I hear all the time that ‘politicians are all the same’. I think the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, under my leadership, can be different.

“If we offer people a vision of how our Conservative policies can change their lives for the better, we can win in Scotland.

“That’s the common question posed to us – will you ever be a party of government in Scotland? I believe we can one day – but only if we work hard, pull together and earn the trust of the public.”

He went on to insist the Tories should not “put forward some sort of Labour-lite agenda”.

Findlay, who was elected to Holyrood in 2021, vowed if he is elected leader he “will ensure that forward-thinking and positivity are the bedrock of our approach”.

His comments came as he insisted there are many people in Scotland who think conservative – but don’t vote Conservative. 

He added that the party must be “pro-opportunity” and back the “individual efforts of shop owners, new businesses and the risk-taking small-scale entrepreneurs who have a dream and the guts to chase it."