RUSSELL FINDLAY is the new leader of the Scottish Tories and the opposition in Holyrood after beating off Murdo Fraser and Megan Gallagher to win the top job today.

Romping to victory with 2,565 votes, to Mr Fraser’s 1,187 and Ms Gallagher’s 403 on a 60 per cent turnout, the former crime journalist secured the role after just three years as an MSP. 

Fresh from winning a mandate from 36.9 per cent of the 6,941 eligible voters in the election – well short of the 50 per cent threshold his party imposed on unions proposing strike action — Mr Findlay pledged to “win back public trust.”

Speaking at the result announcement in Edinburgh on Friday, he said: “We will be a voice for decent mainstream Scotland and the values of hard work, self-reliance, and value for taxpayers.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton warned Mr Findlay would “find it hard to escape his record of cheering on [former prime minister] Liz Truss,” while Scottish Green co-leader Patrick Harvie called him “an enthusiastic supporter of the Tory culture war agenda” and branded him “a good fit for all the worst instincts of the Conservative Party.”

SNP MSP Kevin Stewart commented: “The face of Tory politics in Scotland may have changed, but Russell Findlay’s track record shows he has no desire to stand up for Scotland’s interests.”

Scottish Labour’s Dame Jackie Baillie said: “Rearranging the deckchairs will do nothing to stop the Tories’ downward slide after 14 years of letting Scotland down.

“The Tories still owe Scots an apology for gambling with families’ savings, crashing the economy and sending bills soaring while putting party before country.

“The 2024 election made it clear that voters want change, not a return to the rotten Tory government of the past.”