Murdo Fraser calls on rivals to drop out of Scottish Tory leadership race as Kerr and Greene give backing

Scottish Tory leadership contenders Liam Kerr and Jamie Greene have both dropped out of the race and endorsed colleague Murdo Fraser.

Formally launching his campaign on Thursday, Fraser urged remaining candidates Russell Findlay and Meghan Gallacher to drop their own ambitions and back him.

Addressing a group of supporters, he said: “We as a party can spend another five weeks shouting at each other. We can spend the next five weeks under a cloud of suspicion and impropriety. Or we can end it.

“We can end it now and, as a team of MSPs working on behalf of our members, take back control of the party.

“And so today I say to both Meghan Gallacher and Russell Findlay, let’s bring this sorry chapter to a close. Come and join this team.”

Asked by media if that meant he is saying it he should be “coronated” without an election, Fraser said: “Yes.”

Both Greene and Kerr attended the launch. Greene praised Fraser’s “broad appeal”, while Kerr said the Tories needed a leader with “integrity”.

Nominations for the leadership closed at midday on Thursday, with candidates requiring the support of 100 members to get onto the ballot.

The winner will be announced on Friday 27 September.

Findlay launched his campaign on Monday, committing to “renewal” of the party and hit out at suggestions he was the continuity candidate to Douglas Ross.

He said: “I want change too, but the right kind of change. I want forward-looking change that’s about our party’s future and the future of our country. I want a restoration of decent standards. I want value for money in public services. I want every party member and colleague to feel valued, heard and respected. I want to ensure that women’s rights are never eroded. And I want to protect the precious right to freedom of speech.

“Decent standards, value for money, people’s rights protected. That’s what I’m about. It’s what our party must be about too.”

The comments follow reports that Ross – who announced his resignation as leader before the general election in July – had said that he wanted Findlay to succeed him a year ago.

Findlay was also critical of suggestions that the Scottish party should look to separate from the UK party, pledging “no split, no separation” under him.

It is one of the dividing lines between him and Fraser, who has backed setting up a commission to review the party’s constitution and structure. This, he has said, would review the relationship between the Scottish and UK parties, though he does not back complete separation.

Fraser has now received the backing of nine MSP colleagues, as has Findlay. Gallacher trails on two.

Confirmation that all three contenders have secured the signatures needed to make it onto the ballot is expected shortly.