THE Scottish Tory leadership contest has descended into bitter infighting after negative stories about potential challengers were fed to a right-wing newspaper.

Supporters of Russell Findlay, who is considered one of the favourites to take over from Douglas Ross as Scottish Conservative leader, have been accused of acting as a “cabal” and intimidating opponents.

The Telegraph reported that senior members within the party had said there was a deliberate campaign to “besmirch” people other than Findlay who were considering entering the race.

It comes after two stories appeared in the Scottish Daily Mail aimed at Meghan Gallacher and Jamie Greene, two names spoken about as potential challengers for the top job.

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Gallacher did not understand that VAT was reserved to Westminster, one story said, while the other claimed Greene could be “deselected as a candidate for Holyrood by local members” due to a focus on “woke” issues.

Concerns about the source of the stories have led to allegations that the negative press about potential challengers to Findlay was being organised by a small clique at the top of the party, The Telegraph reported.

The news echo similar reports in The Times last week which said certain MSPs believed an “establishment cabal” was trying to install Findlay as leader without a true contest.

Greene has been among the potential challengers calling for the race to replace Ross not to be rushed, warning the Scottish Tories could face “political extinction” without a serious rethink.

In total, around one-third of the entire Scottish Conservative MSP group is thought to be considering a run at the leadership.

The race to replace Douglas Ross as Scottish Tory leader has turned bitter (Image: PA)

Without including Ross or previous leader Jackson Carlaw, there are 29 Scottish Tory MSPs. At least nine of them are reported to be considering a leadership bid: Findlay, Greene, Gallacher, Murdo Fraser, Brian Whittle, Stephen Kerr, Liam Kerr, Maurice Golden, and Graham Simpson.

Other names, such as party chair Craig Hoy, have also been spoken about as possible contenders.

Findlay denied being the source of negative attacks on his colleagues also considering runs at the leadership, insisting he had “made it crystal clear that there must be an open, positive and lengthy contest”.

He told The Telegraph that anyone accusing him was guilty of dividing the party.

But others said that people close to Findlay, if not Findlay himself, were behind the negative stories.

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And one senior MSP told The Telegraph: “This is an operation designed to persuade colleagues not to stand ­– if you stand you are going to be targeted.”

The bitter leadership contest to replace Ross is seeing Conservatives scrap over the future direction of the party.

Although there seems to be a near-unanimous feeling that Ross’s singular focus on battling independence has to be left in the dirt, there is no agreement on where to take the party next.

Some figures, like Stephen Kerr, have suggested the party leans further to the right and opposes Scottish Government policies that it currently supports, such as free tuition.

However others, such as Greene, have said there is no appetite for a more right-wing party in Scotland.