TORY stalwarts with decades of service have accused the party hierarchy of giving the brush off to those demanding answers over the way a leading candidate was ditched on the eve of the May election campaign.

One of them said last night, in criticism which will be highly damaging to the leadership aspirations of new MSP Ruth Davidson, the former broadcaster and Annabel Goldie aide: “We have been treated with contempt.”

In a letter to The Herald, the chairman and secretary of one of Glasgow’s largest constituency associations, Rutherglen and Hamilton West, claim treatment of lead candidate Malcolm Macaskill went “against the principles of natural justice”. They add that five polite letters to the Scottish Tory chairman have resulted in a “brush off”.

Jean Miller and Allan Kenneth write: “We don’t believe we can ask for the respect of the electorate when there is no respect in our party relationships.”

It is an unprecedented comment, given the loyalty of the pair to the party.

Mrs Miller has been a member in Rutherglen for 45 years and an office-bearer for 21 years, while Mr Kenneth first joined the constituency party 27 years ago and has been an office-bearer for the past 12 years.

They write: “Having been ranked as top candidate on the Conservative Regional List for Glasgow, Malcolm Macaskill was almost certain to be elected as a regional MSP in May.

“Six weeks before the election he was removed from the party’s list and Ruth Davidson was promoted from second on the list. She was elected.

“Malcolm was denied a formal hearing, which goes against the principles of natural justice. Despite five letters of polite requests from those of us who, as local party office-bearers have worked with Malcolm for many years, Andrew Fulton, the chairman of the Scottish party has given no proper explanation for the party’s high-handed action.

“His response can be best described as a ‘brush off’, with repeated statements that ‘this correspondence is now closed’. We don’t believe we can ask for the respect of the electorate when there is no respect in our party relationships.”

Last night Mr Kenneth went further, saying: “Malcolm has been a very successful fund-raiser for the party and recently attracted pledges of substantial donations to the party from prominent businessmen. These pledges were withdrawn when Malcolm was sacked.

“The party apparently did not understand that the promises were dependent on goodwill created by Malcolm. We feel he was very badly treated by the party in March. The reasons given in press reports did not justify the party’s vicious action.

“Jean and I have repeatedly asked the chairman of the Scottish party to give an explanation or to meet us but have been treated with contempt.”

A Conservative Party spokesman said: “This issue was, quite rightly, dealt with in private and we refuse to discuss personal circumstances in public. The decision was taken following due process and endorsed unanimously by the party executive.

The steps taken were regardless of the ranking position of the candidate and we consider the matter closed.”

Mr Macaskill said: “My method of removal from the candidates’ list and from the No.1 ranking in Glasgow was unjust, it would quite rightly not be tolerated in the workplace, or any properly constituted organisation. The disregard for a basic human right is not what people would expect from a modern political party which advocates fairness and democracy.

“Jean Miller and Allan Kenneth have been colleagues for many years and I hold both of them in the highest esteem. As I have not been party to any of the correspondence between them and Andrew Fulton, I am unable to comment further.”