STV will host a debate among the three candidates to succeed Douglas Ross to become Scottish Conservative leader.

Russell Findlay, Murdo Fraser and Meghan Gallacher will go head to head in a special edition of the Scotland Tonight programme on Monday September 2.

The programme will be hosted by STV’s Political Editor, Colin Mackay, from the broadcaster’s Pacific Quay headquarters in Glasgow.

Linda Grimes Douglas, head of news and current Affairs at STV, said: “With voting starting just two days later, this debate on 2 September will provide an important opportunity for candidates to set out their stalls to the party membership and the wider public, and prove why they should become the next Scottish Conservative leader at what is a critical time for the party.”

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Voting in the 2024 Scottish Conservatives leadership election starts on September 4 and concludes on September 26, with the winner being announced the following day.

Nominations for the contest closed at noon today with Mr Findlay, Mr Fraser and Ms Gallacher all securing the required backing of 100 members. The party has organised eight hustings with the first due to take place in Renfrew on Saturday.

Three candidates Jamie Greene, Liam Kerr and Brian Whittle withdrew from the contest before nominations closed with all backing Mr Fraser, who launched his campaign in Perth this morning.

Mr Greene told the audience he would take his own bid for the leadership no further, saying Mr Fraser is the only candidate with the “gumption” to turn things around for the party.

READ MORE: Fraser launches leadership bid with appeal to SNP voters

Mr Kerr had a similar message, saying the party must unite under a “strong, experienced and respected leader”.

The already bitter contest descended into chaos last week when five of the six candidates standing in the contest attacked Mr Ross.

It followed reports that he had attempted to quit as leader more than a year ago and install Mr Findlay as his successor.

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The Telegraph reported that in July 2023, the MSP told the party’s general election candidate for Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey that he wanted to replace her.

However, Kathleen Robertson, who is the leader of Moray council, rebuffed his request.

Insiders told the paper that at the meeting in Mr Ross’s house, he told the councillor “his heart was in Westminster, not Holyrood” and promised her she would be selected as the Tory candidate for the equivalent Scottish Parliament seat at the 2026 election.

Asked who would replace him, he said Mr Findlay.

Ms Robertson made the party chair, Craig Hoy, aware of the conversation at the start of the year.

Mr Fraser, Mr Greene, Mr Kerr and Brian Whittle signed a joint statement questioning the “transparency and fairness” of the process.

Ms Gallacher quit as Mr Ross’s deputy saying she was “deeply troubled” by the allegation.

The paper's report has also led to more unease over Mr Ross’s bid to stand for Westminster in the new Aberdeenshire North and Moray East constituency.

He replaced the incumbent David Duguid as the candidate after the party’s ruling Management Board declared him too ill to stand.

Mr Duguid - who has been recovering from illness in Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital Spinal Unit - has long insisted he was well enough to contest the election.

During an interview with the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland, Mr Findlay was asked about Mr Ross’s support and his attempt to replace Ms Robertson.

He said: “People who talk about this as if there is some sort of foregone conclusion haven’t been in my shoes for the past several weeks, where I have worked tirelessly to engage with members, to engage with councillors, to engage with parliamentary colleagues both at Holyrood and Westminster to persuade them about my offering as leader.

“The idea that all these people who have come out and supported me, parliamentary colleagues, councillors from across Scotland, are somehow in on some form of conspiracy is frankly not just ridiculous but also I think slightly offensive to them.

“These people can very well think for themselves.

“Douglas Ross is the only person who can speak for Douglas Ross, I’m not here to speak for Douglas Ross, I’m not here to defend what may or may not have happened.

“But I understand on the back of what has been reported and the concerns that have been raised there is going to be process where they look at that, both in terms of the circumstances around the conversation with Kathleen Robertson.

“That is going to be looked at.”

STV said the debate will be pre-recorded mid-evening on September 2 and shown at 10.40pm that evening.