Scottish Tory leadership

James Cleverley has officially launched his campaign for the leadership of the Conservative Party, emphasizing the need to restore the party's reputation and promising tax cuts, deregulation, and increased defense spending. Meanwhile, the Scottish Conservative Party faces a leadership contest following Douglas Ross's resignation, with Russell Findlay emerging as the frontrunner. Findlay seeks to overhaul the party by reconnecting with its conservative roots and addressing the disillusionment among members. He argues that the party must present a clear conservative vision to regain public trust ahead of the 2026 Holyrood elections. Concerns about leadership vacuum and allegations of dirty tactics have been raised, prompting calls for an interim leader to maintain order in the contest. The Scottish party is expected to accelerate its leadership process compared to the UK party, which will not finalize its leadership until November.