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Topic Originator: wee eck
Date: Fri 16 Aug 15:11
This forum`s been sterile for a while but the Tories have obliged. It seems Douglas Ross has been even naughtier than we thought at first.
As reported by the BBC -
`Four candidates in the race to replace Douglas Ross as leader of the Scottish Conservatives have questioned the "transparency and fairness" of the contest.
Murdo Fraser, Jamie Greene, Liam Kerr and Brian Whittle expressed concern over the claim that in 2023 Mr Ross suggested he should be replaced by Russell Findlay - who is also standing in the contest.
In a joint statement the four MSPs said they were "deeply concerned" over the "disturbing" report in the Daily Telegraph. The party`s deputy leader Meghan Gallagher, who is the remaining candidate in the contest, has not signed the joint statement.
The Daily Telegraph reported that Douglas Ross met with Westminster candidate Kathleen Robertson in July 2023 and raised the prospect of him replacing her in the 2024 general election. When Ms Robertson, a Conservative councillor, asked Mr Ross who would replace him as leader if he returned to Westminster it it claimed that he suggested Mr Findlay. The paper reports that she declined Mr Ross`s request to replace her.
Mr Ross and Ms Robertson have been approached for comment.
to be cont/]
Post Edited (Fri 16 Aug 15:13)
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Topic Originator: wee eck
Date: Fri 16 Aug 15:15
/cont
The group is also calling on the party`s management board to clarify if they believe that the fairness of the current contest has been affected by Mr Ross allegedly expressing a preference for who succeeded him.
The group is also asking whether the board believe it was "an appropriate way" to treat a candidate and whether party members in Aberdeenshire North and Moray East were aware of Mr Ross` request before selecting him as their general election candidate.
Mr Ross ultimately lost his bid to be elected following a controversial row in which Banff and Buchan MP David Duguid was not selected to contest the seat. During campaigning he announced his intention to stand down as leader, setting in motion a leadership contest scheduled to conclude by the end of September.
BBC Scotland understands that Russell Findlay was not asked to sign the statement.
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Topic Originator: Parboiled
Date: Sat 17 Aug 08:42
Ross got the kicking he deserved from those voters he tried to foist himself on. Devious wee pr*k
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Topic Originator: McCaig`s Tower
Date: Thu 22 Aug 14:12
I’ve heard it said (although I don’t believe it is official SFA policy) that to be a good referee you have to have supreme confidence in your own ability and what some might term a pig-headed obstinance in believing that you are right in the face of all evidence to the contrary. I imagine that this attitude facilitates the awarding of penalties against the home team if required without being influenced by 40,000 fans baying for your blood.
I’ve never met Douglas Ross so could not comment on whether the above dictum applies to him. However, he does seem to have rubbed up some of his colleagues the wrong way.
The supposed requirement to neutrality seems somewhat confected to me – I’m sure plenty of leaders in the past have been clear in who they want as their successor; some might see it as an example of decisive leadership.
One difficulty the Scottish Tory leaders have had in the past is that their traditional conservative values of loyalty have been severely tested by the UK party’s choice of leader. I know Murdo Fraser suggested essentially disaffiliating the Scottish Party from the UK one which would have provided some differentiation; I don’t think he’s proposing that this time. Nevertheless, a lot will hang on who the UK party chooses as leader.
In the meantime, Liam Kerr, Brian Whittle and Jamie Greene have all withdrawn and appear to be backing Murdo.
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Topic Originator: wee eck
Date: Thu 22 Aug 14:43
Three-horse race between Findlay, Fraser and Gallagher now; I think they are all List MSPs so winning an election in their own right will be a first for one of them!
Post Edited (Thu 22 Aug 14:44)
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Topic Originator: LochgellyAlbert
Date: Thu 22 Aug 16:25
Murdo Fraser has made a career of being an MSP without actually winning anything!🤔🙈🤭
Post Edited (Thu 22 Aug 16:25)
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