Perthshire Tory MSP in leadership bid for Scottish party

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A Perthshire Tory MSP has thrown his hat into the ring in the contest to lead the “fractured” party in Scotland, vowing to “take back control” for its members.

It is the second time Murdo Fraser has fought to lead the Scottish Conservatives who obtained 12.7 per cent of the vote, and five seats, in last month’s general election.In the 2011 leadership contest he lost out to Ruth Davidson for the post.Mr Fraser (58), MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, is the longest-serving Conservative MSP at Holyrood and the sixth candidate to enter the 2024 leadership race to replace Douglas Ross.Mr Fraser has held a variety of positions in the party including deputy leader from 2005-2011 and has spoken for the party on health, education, economy, constitution, and finance.On Wednesday he pledged to “give the party back to its members” and end top-down decision-making, publishing a 12-point plan for party reform to ensure members have more of a say.In a message to party members, he said: “I have been a member of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party for 40 years.“My adult life has been spent supporting this party, campaigning for this party, and representing this party.

But this party - our party - has let us all down.“You, its members, have been let down. You were let down by Boris Johnson over Partygate.

You were let down by Liz Truss’ mini-Budget.“You were let down by Rishi Sunak at D-Day.“And yes, I am sorry to say, you were let down by the decisions taken by Douglas Ross and his team in the middle of the recent General Election campaign.“This is not my first attempt to lead my party.