Jackson Carlaw defends use of former Tory leaders in election campaign

Jackson Carlaw has defended the Scottish Conservatives' use of former leaders in their election campaign following suggestions that Ruth Davidson's departure has left a "vacuum'' at the top of the party.

Ms Davidson resigned as Scottish Tory chief in August and the party is yet to outline plans for a leadership election to replace her.

Speaking at a campaign event in Perth, Mr Carlaw said he is "delighted'' his party can use former leaders - including Ms Davidson and Annabel Goldie - in campaign materials, in contrast to opposition parties.

Asked about a leaflet being handed out at the event on Perth's High Street which does not feature Mr Carlaw, the interim leader said: "I think the Labour Party were putting election leaflets out from Gordon Brown in the last general election and he hasn't been the prime minister since 2010.

"We are absolutely delighted that we've got former leaders that we're able to use in this campaign.

"I doubt the SNP will be using Alex Salmond, I doubt the Labour Party will be using Kezia Dugdale.

"Our former leaders are still very much active in the party and an electoral asset, and we'll be using both Annabelle Goldie and Ruth Davidson during this general election.''

Speaking about his own role, he added: "I'll be on plenty of the election literature and leaflets that go out as we go forward.

"As I've said, we're quite happy to use our former leaders in our election literature.

"We are a team of Scottish Conservatives fighting in this campaign. This campaign is not all about Jackson Carlaw, this campaign is about stopping Nicola Sturgeon, a second independence referendum and getting Brexit sorted - and that will be the message that we're communicating in this campaign.''

When asked if some may view the party as having a "vacuum'' due to a lack of a permanent leader, Mr Carlaw insisted: "There is no vacuum at the top of the party.

"I'm directing the campaign and the campaign will be to stop Nicola Sturgeon's second independence referendum and to get Brexit sorted.

"That's the message we're getting from people on the doorsteps, that's the message all our candidates will be communicating on the doorsteps, and I'm very confident about the election campaign we're going to fight and the result that we'll obtain.''

Mr Carlaw was also asked about Ms Davidson's decision to take a job at a PR firm, which she this week resigned from after concerns were raised over a potential conflict of interest.

He said: "I wasn't advised about it in advance. It was obviously a decision that Ruth took on her own, as is the decision that she's now taken to withdraw from that.

"But I'm looking forward to having Ruth at the heart of our campaign in Scotland.

"I'm not opposed to parliamentarians having second jobs, I think the experience that these can sometimes bring to the Parliament is a good thing.

"In many respects, being a minister is a second job that's paid. So I don't have that objection in principle, but the decision Ruth took was entirely one that she arrived at on her own account.

"I happen to think that she's taken the right decision and that she's putting Parliament and the interests of Parliament first.''

The SNP has urged the Scottish Tories to name their next leader ahead of the general election.

SNP MP Tommy Sheppard said: "Boris Johnson was too hard-line and right-wing even for Ruth Davidson to stomach.

"But now she's the figurehead of their campaign pleading for people to vote for him in a general election. It's duplicitous, cynical, and voters will see right through it.

"She has left a vacancy at the helm for two months now, and still there's no plans in place to appoint a successor.

"Scottish voters deserve to know in advance of an election, or can otherwise assume the next leader of the Scottish Tories will be a hard-line Brexiteer hand-picked by Boris Johnson."

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