Jackson Carlaw new Scottish Tory leader after bitter contest

Carlaw comfortably saw off MSP Michelle Ballantyne in the race to succeed Ruth Davidson

JACKSON Carlaw has become the new Scottish Tory leader after a bitter election battle against a right wing rival. He will succeed Ruth Davidson in the job after a winning 4917 votes against South Scotland MSP Michelle Ballantyne, who won 1581. However, the contest was marked by tensions between the two candidates and mud-slinging. Carlaw entered the race as interim leader and faced off against the pro-Boris and pro-Brexit Ballantyne. His supporters believed he would win comfortably, but his campaign wobbled at one point and the pair rounded on each other. Ballantyne used an article to have a dig at the December general election campaign he fronted, which led to the party losing most of its seats. “We had the right candidates, but our party in Scotland lacked vision and ambition,” she wrote. He hit back: “I'm always impressed by people who find the courage of their convictions after the event but have little to say about it beforehand.” Carlaw also said Ballantyne was the only member of the Shadow Cabinet never to submit “a single policy proposal”, while she accused her opponent of leaks to the press.After winning today, Carlaw will lead his party into next year's Holyrood election.