After a mud-slinging leadership contest between three candidates, former crime correspondent and current Tory MSP for the West of Scotland Russell Findlay has taken the Scottish Tory leadership. Findlay backs tax cuts and “a proper Conservative vision for Scotland.” Will he be able to beat his centrist party to put that vision forward?
UPDATE: Vote breakdown:
Findlay – 2,565
Fraser – 1,187
Gallacher – 403
6,941 eligible electors, turnout 60%, votes 4,155.
Andy Haldane, Burnham’s recent adviser on the economy who has not taken up a No10 job, told Andrew Marr on LBC:
“The market now suspects that this is a traditional tax-and-spend socialist government with better TikTok videos…
imposing windfall taxes on oil & gas or on banks or upping capital gains tax would […] repeat the mistake that Rachel made […] The Achilles heel, the fiscal Achilles heel of this government thus far has been its unwillingness and/or inability to cut public spending.”