Russell Findlay has been elected the new leader of the Scottish Conservatives.
The MSP saw off competition from Murdo Fraser and Meghan Gallacher in the bruising battle to replace Douglas Ross.
Mr Findlay won with 2,565 votes. Mr Murdo placed second with 1,187 votes, while Ms Gallacher claimed third with 403 votes.
The announcement comes ahead of the UK Conservative Party revealing Rishi Sunak’s successor on 2 November.
Following his win, Mr Findlay said: “Everyone must come together as one united team.
“Let us start the hard work right now to win back public trust.
“I want to deliver the message to people across Scotland who do not feel that anyone represents them, who are scunnered by the divisiveness and fringe obsessions of the Scottish parliament, who feel let down and failed by politicians of every single party, including ours, who think politicians are all the same.
“I feel that way – I get it, but I’m not the same.”
Ms Gallacher, Mr Fraser and Mr Findlay on Friday. Pic: PA
Mr Findlay has been the MSP for West Scotland since 2021 and has been the party’s justice spokesperson at Holyrood.
He has worked as a journalist for STV News, the Scottish Sun and the Sunday Mail.
His investigation into the disappearance of Margaret Fleming was used to help prosecute her killers.
As an author, Mr Findlay has written books on gangland crime and was the victim of an acid attack in 2015 when an assailant appeared on his doorstep disguised as a postman.
In 2017, the attacker was handed a 15-year extended sentence, with 10 years in jail and five years on licence once released back into the community.
Mr Findlay with supporters at his leadership campaign launch. Pic: Dave Johnson
Six Scottish Tory MSPs initially announced bids to succeed Mr Ross, who will continue in his role as MSP for the Highlands and Islands.
Brian Whittle, Liam Kerr and Jamie Greene dropped out of the race ahead of the ballot and threw their support behind Mr Fraser.
Mr Findlay, Mr Murdo and Ms Gallacher each secured the 100 nominations required to continue and took part in hustings across Scotland as they sought to convince party members why they were the best person for the job.
During his campaign launch, Mr Fraser called on Mr Findlay and Ms Gallacher to drop their bids and join his team – essentially coronating him as leader.
Mr Fraser with supporters at his leadership campaign launch. Pic: PA
In response, Mr Findlay said he’d always been “opposed to a coronation, of myself or anyone else”.
He added: “Our members should decide the next leader. Not any small group of people at Holyrood.”
Mr Findlay, who received the backing of former Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson, was regarded by some as the favourite to replace Mr Ross.
During the competition, MSP Stephen Kerr apologised after branding ally Mr Fraser’s leadership campaign as “awful”.
In a series of posts accidentally published as status updates to his WhatsApp profile, Mr Kerr criticised Mr Fraser’s bid despite publicly backing him.
“I’m beginning to wish I’d nominated Meghan,” Mr Kerr wrote, in reference to Ms Gallacher.
Ms Gallacher. Pic: PA
The contentious contest also saw former deputy leader Ms Gallacher lodging a complaint to the party against Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk MP John Lamont.
Following a call between the pair, Ms Gallacher was said to have been concerned she would be deselected ahead of the Holyrood election in 2026.
Mr Lamont, who backed rival Mr Findlay, strongly denied any wrongdoing and said he was “considering further action including legal options”.
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