New Scots Tory leader Russell Findlay claims he will represent views of 'mainstream' Scots

The West Scotland MSP will also accuse Labour of standing "shoulder to shoulder" with the nationalists on policies that are "unwanted by ordinary Scots".

The new Scottish Conservative leader will vow to represent the "commonsense views of mainstream Scotland" when he addresses his party's conference on Sunday.

Russell Findlay, who replaced Douglas Ross as leader of the Scottish Tories on Friday, will tell the Conservative conference in Birmingham that the SNP's "fixation" with fringe causes has seen them neglect "bread-and-butter issues".

He will add that it has left the public disillusioned with politics and politicians. The West Scotland MSP, who was first elected to Holyrood in 2021, will also accuse Labour of standing "shoulder to shoulder" with the nationalists on policies that are "unwanted by ordinary Scots".

He will say Labour's support for measures like gender self-recognition, the hate crime ban and a ban on new North Sea exploration shows they cannot offer change.

The former reporter will tell the conference: "My message is simple - enough of the nonsense. Stop playing to the minority and start governing for the majority. Focus on common sense, for a change."

He will add: "This leaves us - the Scottish Conservatives - as the sole voice in the Scottish Parliament speaking up for the common-sense views of mainstream Scotland."

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Responding, SNP MSP Jackie Dunbar said: "I guess it was Russell Findlay's commonsense approach to politics that led him to back Liz Truss and her disastrous mini budget that crashed our economy.

"The Tories find themselves stuck dancing to the tune of dangerous fringe politicians like Nigel Farage as they shift further and further to the right. There is nothing the Tories' establishment candidate in Scotland, Russell Findlay, is going to do to fix that.

"The SNP will focus on governing for the people of Scotland."

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