Eight Scottish MSPs back Tom Tugendhat for leader

Eight of the Conservative members of The Scottish Parliament say they will back Tom Tugendhat MP to become new leader of the Conservative Party.

The group of supporters say that the MP for Tonbridge is the only candidate who has spent the time getting to understand the challenges in Scotland. They cite especially areas such as energy security, fisheries, farming and rural communities.

They believe that if he became leader then there would always be “a champion for the Union and the priorities of Scotland – at the helm in Westminster”. They believe that the general election result means that Scottish people have rejected independence, and feel that Mr Tugendhat would be an asset for the party at the 2026 Holyrood elections.

Mr Tugendhat was a soldier for ten years before becoming an MP. He was responsible for the National Security Act. This resulted in Britain arresting more Russian and Chinese spies during his time as minister than it had in the previous decade. The Conservative politicians feel that Tom is best placed to end the infighting which has been symptomatic of the party before rebuilding it.

The eight MSPs are Douglas Lumsden, Tim Eagle, Roz McCall, Stephen Kerr, Tess White, Maurice Golden, Finlay Carson and Sandesh Gulhane. 

In a joint statement, the MSPs said:

“We are backing Tom Tugendhat to be our next UK Party Leader. We believe – indeed we know – that he is the best person for the job.

“A Leader to create a united party for our United Kingdom. A man of principle, service and duty. 

“Someone who says what he will do, then gets it done. Someone who gets Scotland, is a friend of Scotland, and is an asset to the Party in Scotland.

“We need a UK Leader who will be a help, not a hindrance, to the Scottish Conservatives in the battles ahead – Holyrood 2026 and the local elections the year after.

“We do not need a caretaker leader of the opposition, but someone capable and hungry to be the next Prime Minister for all of the UK.

“That Leader is Tom Tugendhat.”

Tom Tugendhat said: “It is an absolute privilege to have so many of my Scottish Conservative colleagues backing me to be the next Leader of the Conservative and Unionist Party today. I am thrilled to have their support. Unionism is indivisible from Conservatism and as leader, I promise to always fight for the Union and deliver on the priorities of the Scottish people.