Unlike his absurd predecessor, Douglas Ross, I have great respect for the new Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay.

He was an exemplary journalist. There’s an affinity between the work he did investigating organised crime and the work I’ve done investigating terrorism. We both suffered violence for simply doing our jobs and daring to report the truth. Findlay was the victim of an acid attack. I was kidnapped and put through a mock execution.

So when it comes to his past endeavours, I brim with praise. I cannot say the same for his current incarnation as the frontman of Scottish Conservatism.

Indeed, Findlay has made some inordinately daft comments since assuming his new role. Findlay was at the Tory Party conference - thankfully now over; an event which seemed modelled on that moment when a shudder of clowns (‘shudder' is the genuine collective noun in this instance) enter the circus ring of a Big Top.

While there, he proclaimed that the “independence dream is dead”. Is it, Russell? Is it really? I see only one corpse around these parts and it has the name ‘Conservative Party’ written on its morgue toe-tag.

Scottish Conservatives leader Russell Findlay during the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham, September 2024. Scottish Conservatives leader Russell Findlay during the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham, September 2024. (Image: Jacob King/PA Wire)

I guess that - wearied by repetition - I best quote some numbers at this point. Independence still hovers somewhere around 45%. So not much has changed. Certainly, there’s been no gains. But independence has decoupled from a tired, ideas-free SNP. Its fortunes are no longer tied to a worn-out party of low-energy government.

In fact, let’s be honest here: it’s inevitable, as the new government of Keir Starmer increasingly fails to charm or appease Scottish voters, that support for independence will probably get a little oomph in its mojo once more.

The caucus which handed Scotland to Starmer at the last election were swing voters who had once backed Labour, switched to SNP, and then promiscuously returned to Labour again. They’re flighty. They’re left-wing. They’re open to independence. And Starmer can easily lose them.

So Findlay is more than a little previous with his obituary for the Yes movement. After pronouncing the non-existent death of independence, Findlay then vowed to block Scottish independence being debated in parliament.

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Well, I guess he can try. But the problem with democracy you see, Russell, is that sometimes we must listen to other people, and if the parliament decides it wants to talk about the constitution, then it’ll seem rather childish to thwart that intention.

Findlay has every right to complain and denounce such a debate. In fact, as a moderate supporter of independence, I agree with his notion that Scotland spends far too much time talking about the constitution. 

However, we can’t just stamp our foot and say ‘no’ if we don’t like the matter under discussion. Maybe try - and this goes for politicians of every stripe - working together in a collegiate fashion for the benefit of all the people of Scotland, regardless of their constitutional affiliation.

It’s also rather rich for Findlay to take these grand positions given the ridiculous state of the party he represents in Scotland. The UK party is an embarrassment. The antics of Douglas Ross haven’t been forgotten. 

Russell Findlay (right) with leadership rivals, Murdo Fraser and Meghan Gallacher, as he is announced as new leader of the Scottish Conservatives. Russell Findlay (right) with leadership rivals, Murdo Fraser and Meghan Gallacher, as he is announced as new leader of the Scottish Conservatives. (Image: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire)

Simply listening to the charabanc of fools in contention to lead the UK party is so toe-curling you need a podiatrist.

Shall we count the ways? Maybe begin with Kemi Badenoch? When not trying to start a culture war with every intake of breath, Badenoch announces herself as a clear and present danger to the people of Britain. 

The minimum wage harms business … says the woman who claimed she somehow "became working class” by taking a student job at McDonald’s. Patronising flatus. Maternity pay “has gone too far” … says the woman who, on her MP’s salary alone, earns £91,346 plus expenses.

I could go on, but Badenoch is intensely boring politically. She seems to believe that government is an extension of Twitter. For that alone, she deserves a permanent red-flag warning sticker.

Then there’s Robert Jenrick - the man who ordered murals of cartoon characters on the walls of a refugee reception centre removed as seemingly they were too welcoming for children. Charles Dickens couldn’t invent such a toad-like character.

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Jenrick infuriated his leadership rivals this week with claims that special forces were “killing rather than capturing terrorists” because Britain is party to the European Convention of Human Rights.

There’s certainly debate to be had about the role of the special forces, though I’m not convinced this is the way forward, and assuredly Jenrick is the last man you’d want leading that discussion. He too should jump in a bin with Badenoch.

Yet when it comes to Tory leaders, Findlay is on somewhat shaky ground. His MSPs shouted down John Swinney this week when he reminded parliament Findlay was an enthusiastic Liz Truss supporter.

You’ll remember Truss. She’s the lady who crashed our economy into the sun and was outlasted by a lettuce. She’s now taken to wandering around America hallucinating about the “deep state” in the vain hope Trump supporters will pay attention to her.

So, Russell, by all means swing your rhetorical axe at independence, but do expect some verbal blows in return, as your claims don’t stack up.

It might be a better plan to begin your new role acknowledging the terrible failures which led to the Tories getting such a kicking. Nobody else in the party has the wit to do so. Maybe a once-cracking journalist can change that?

Neil Mackay is The Herald’s Writer-at-Large. He’s a multi-award winning investigative journalist, author of both fiction and non-fiction, and a filmmaker and broadcaster. He specialises in intelligence, security, crime, social affairs and foreign and domestic politics.

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