Gallacher Ddenounces sexism in Scottish Tory leadership race

She said she had faced comments about motherhood and experience in a way that her rival candidates, Russell Findlay and Murdo Fraser, had not. 

Of the six senior politicians who expressed an interest in succeeding Douglas Ross, the 32-year-old Central Scotland MSP was the only female to put her name forward.

In The Herald's first of three leadership candidate interviews, Ms Gallacher said she had constantly faced questions on whether she would be able to balance the top role with being a mother to two-year-old Charlotte.

During the interview, Ms Gallacher also said she stands out for the Scottish Tory role by attracting "new audiences" into the party and showcasing how a "working class Tory lassie from Bellshill" can succeed.

Scottish Tory leadership contenders Russell Findlay, Murdo Fraser and Meghan Gallacher. (Image: PA)

Throughout the contest, she also warned against "blue on blue attacks" and was forced to deny she was going to drop out of the race after learning a senior member of the party had been briefing against her.

She has not revealed who the member was and vowed not to in an attempt to protect "party unity".

But she said: "What has been striking - and I know that my male colleagues have not been getting this - I'm constantly being asked 'how are you going to balance childcare, how are you going to manage having a young daughter and also having the top job?'

"But if we don't prove that someone can do it, we're just going to have that same old narrative that women can't get that top job. I think there is still that sort of culture instilled in people."

READ MORE: Ruth Davidson backs Findlay for Scottish Tory leader 

READ MORE: Is a future Scottish Tory first minister unrealistic? 

"I don't think everyone necessarily means it, but there are definitely quiet undertones (of sexism)," she said, adding: "I don't think they understand the impact that can have on the individual."

She also addressed concerns from some members that she was not experienced enough to take on the leadership role - a claim the former deputy strongly denied.

“Perhaps some people’s biggest fear about me going into this contest is experience but actually when you look at it, and it's not to downplay my other two colleagues at all, I’ve been in the party for over 10 years, I’ve been a councillor for five years.

“I led a council group and was the only woman in that group leading a group of nine men. I then went on to be an MSP and deputy leader of the party.

“So to say I’m not experienced certainly within politics, I think is just not true."

Ms Gallacher described her defining moment in politics so far as challenging the Scottish Government's Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill.

She broke her maternity leave to vote against the controversial gender reforms.

"It’s a key memory of that time. I’ll never forget having my daughter Charlotte on one arm and then having to balance my laptop on my lap to vote with my other.”

The leadership hopeful is from Bellshill in North Lanarkshire and stands out in what she described as the former "Labour heartland".

Her leadership, she said, aims to attract more "working class" people as she shares she had to resit her final school year after performing poorly in exams.

“I want people to know that you can be a Conservative and come from any background whatsoever," she said.

"I hope one day some people might put me in a bracket where I'm not just 'that Tory lassie from Bellshill".

"Everyone associates conservatism with being the opposite of what I am. I think it’s really important for young people in general to say where you haven’t done so well in life, to tell that story so that if they happen to have a similar story they know for a fact they still have avenues and routes they can go down where they can still go on and do really well in life."