Douglas Ross fighting for Westminster seat among claims party have abandoned office

John Ferguson

23 June 2024 at 5:21 am·2-min read

Douglas Ross will resign as Scottish Conservatives leader after the election — -Credit: (Image: No credit)

Douglas Ross's campaign headquarters in Aberdeenshire and Moray have been 'abandoned' amid rumours furious party activists are on strike after his last minute selection to fight for a seat in Westminster.

The Scottish Party leader, who will resign after the election, has been accused of hiding from the public by failing to appear at national events last week, while appearing forlorn and at local events in the North East with a noted lack of support even from MSP colleagues.

The Sunday Mail revealed this morning the office of the Banff and Buchan constituency branch - usually a hive of activity during elections - has been empty for weeks.

Sources have said disgusted local activists are refusing to campaign for Ross in protest at his decision to stand in place of the ill David Duguid.

He was the sitting MP in Banff and Buchan and had insisted he wanted to run again despite being in a spinal unit in hospital.

Ross's lack of participation in the election campaign has led to him being compared to the children's book character Where's Wally where Wally is difficult to find in a chaotic picture.

A previously well used Facebook page for the local Conservative branch has not been updated since Duguid announced he had been deselected.

Ross - who currently sits at Westminster and Holyrood - was forced to resign as Scottish party leader after a backlash to his decision to stand and is said to now be desperate to stay as an MP and leave the Scottish Parliament.

Scottish Labour Deputy Leader Jackie Baillie says "After Douglas Ross' shoddy treatment of David Duguid it is no wonder activists are giving up."

"This chaotic and dysfunctional Tory party has nothing to offer the people of Scotland."

"It's time for change - every vote for Scottish Labour is a vote to make sure we get rid of this failing Tory government."

Willie Rennie MSP said: "I thought the Conservatives were against strikes but Douglas Ross seems so objectionable that even they have downed tools."

"By contrast Liberal Democrats are campaigning with a spring in their step with our positive campaign for a fair deal."

Ross has been accused of hiding from voters after choosing to avoid national campaigning last week.

Political rivals claimed he was treating voters "with contempt" and suggested his MSP colleagues must have "begged him to stay away".

Deputy leader Meghan Gallacher and party chairman Craig Hoy appear to have instead been leading the campaign for his party.

A Scottish Conservative spokesman said: "Douglas has been out speaking to local voters at every possible opportunity alongside his team."

"He is the only candidate in Aberdeenshire North and Moray East who can beat the SNP and ensure local people have an MP fully focused on their priorities, rather than a nationalist MP only pushing for independence."

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