Murdo Fraser will today launch his Scottish Conservative leadership campaign with a pitch to disillusioned SNP and independence supporters.

Mr Fraser, the Mid Scotland and Fife MSP, is hoping that with the focus in Scottish politics shifting away from from the debate around independence and the constitution he will be able to appeal to people who may have previously backed John Swinney's party.

The SNP saw its support plummet at the general election last month losing 39 MPs to be left with nine seats as voters switched across the central belt to Labour.

But Mr Fraser is hopeful he can appeal to some of those voters former SNP supporters and persuade them to back the Scottish Tories led by him - arguing he can offer "practical" solutions to Scotland's problems.

READ MORE: Can the Scottish Tories win the support of ex SNP voters?

His intervention comes as he received a boost to his campaign with former leadership candidate Brian Whittle MSP withdrawing from the race to back him instead. He now has the backing of six MSPs - Stephen Kerr, Graham Simpson, Edward Mountain, Brian Whittle, Finlay Carson and Liz Smith.

"The Scottish political debate is changing. Scotland is moving on from the constitutional obsession that has dogged us for the last decade, and so must we as a party," he will say at his launch today in Perth.

"We have seen great success over the past decade being the strongest pro-Union party opposing independence. Now, as people believe, even those who are pro-independence, that that prospect has become ever-more unlikely, the salience of that argument has become less powerful. We saw that in the General Election last month, and we will see it in the run up to the vital Holyrood election in 2026.

"We won the constitutional battle. Now we must win the policy battle."

READ MORE: Analysis: Swinney faces SNP in crisis as conference looms

He will add: "Victims of our own success in beating independence, we have lost our strongest political argument. We have no choice now but to talk about issues other than the constitution, with a clear offer to the people of Scotland in terms of the economy and tax, on jobs, on transport, on the NHS, on education, on justice and the environment. This party is bursting with ideas in all these areas as we have seen over the past few weeks, and we can bring them all together in a compelling offer to the Scottish people.

"And that is where the opportunity lies. I know there are many more people who hold Conservative values in Scotland than currently vote Scottish Conservative.

"Some of these people will have voted SNP, perhaps for the last two decades, perhaps because they are sympathetic to independence. Now, with independence no longer a prospect, these individuals have been freed up to vote for a party which might not share their view on the constitution, but is actually offering real solutions to the problems Scotland faces today.

"By the time we get to the Holyrood election in 2026, the SNP will have been in power for nineteen years. That is nearly two decades of failure.

"Two decades when our economy has underperformed that of the UK as a whole, meaning we have lower tax revenues to fund our vital public services. Two decades when we have seen our public services crumble.

"Two decades when we have seen a lack of progress on vital transport projects, such as ferry procurement and the dualling of roads such as the A9, the A96, the A75, the A1 and the A77. Two decades when our education system, once the envy of the world, has slipped down international rankings.

"The case for change in 2026 is undeniable. But we can’t just swap one left of centre party in the SNP with another in Labour, simply because it has a different view on the constitution.

"Scotland needs real change, and that is what the Scottish Conservatives under my leadership will provide"

Meanwhile, three Conservative MSPs have said they have reached the required number of nominations to formally proceed in the contest to elect a new leader.

Mr Fraser, Russell Findlay and Liam Kerr have all received the backing of at least 100 members allowing them to stand in the race to succeed Mr Ross.

Mr Fraser told The Herald: "Having now reached well over 100 nominations I have formally accepted the nomination and am now officially a candidate for the leadership of the Scottish Conservative Party.

"I cannot thank those who nominated me enough."

Meghan Gallacher and Jamie Greene have not yet said if they have reached the threshold. Any candidates must have received 100 nominations by midday tomorrow.

The SNP was approached for comment.