Scottish Tories leader to be named - The Press Association

(UKPA) – 2 hours ago 

Conservatives are set to select a new leader for the party in Scotland.

Four challengers are vying to take over from Annabel Goldie, who announced she would step down after the Holyrood election in May.

The closely fought campaigns included a pledge by candidate Murdo Fraser to scrap the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party and set up a new centre-right party. The other candidates are Jackson Carlaw, Ruth Davidson and Margaret Mitchell.

Counting gets under way in Edinburgh on Friday afternoon and the result is expected before 5pm.

Miss Goldie sparked the leadership bids after losing two seats in the Scottish Parliament election, taking her party's presence from 17 to 15 out of the total 129 seats. She was among three opposition party leaders to step down after the sweeping SNP victory in May.

Among the Tory candidates, Mr Fraser's policy to start a fresh party proved most controversial among senior figures. Outlining his plan in September, he said: "There's a lot of interest in centre-right values among people in Scotland. But they don't vote for the Conservative Party.

"I think it's time we launched a new, progressive, centre-right party with a distinct Scottish identity; one that would have a partnership with the UK Conservative Party and in other respects be operationally independent. I think that would be much more attractive to many people in Scotland who share our values."

Mr Carlaw, who was struck down by appendicitis during the leadership campaign, has called for an early referendum on independence, rather than wait for the SNP Scottish Government to set it on its terms.

Mr Fraser's plan to start a new party prompted Miss Davidson to enter the race and pledge to protect the current party. The newly elected MSP for the Glasgow region, who has the support of the only Tory MP in Scotland, said: "This is a destabilising distraction that will be welcomed by no one more than Alex Salmond. I've got the confidence to speak to Scots about the issues that really matter to them."

Ms Mitchell, the last to enter the race, opposes allowing further changes to devolution currently being scrutinised in the Scotland Bill. She said: "I wanted to wait to see if any of the candidates were actually representative of the views of both myself and the vast majority of the membership of the party. I feel that they haven't offered anything different."

Copyright © 2011 The Press Association. All rights reserved.