THE new chairman of the Scottish Tories has become embroiled in a row over his CV after false claims were made about his academic credentials.

Andrew Fulton, a former MI6 spy who was appointed by the Conservatives on Friday, was hailed as a "visiting professor" at Glasgow University's school of law.

But a spokesman for the university rebutted the claims, saying: "Mr Fulton is not associated with the University of Glasgow's law school and is not entitled to call himself a professor." Fulton, 64, took up the post as the Scottish Tories' top official last week and received endorsements from Conservative leaders David Cameron and Annabel Goldie.

The biography supplied to the media claimed he had read law at Glasgow University and was "now visiting professor at his alma mater's school of law".

But Fulton, who was a government diplomat for 30 years, was only briefly a visiting professor at the university between 1999 and 2000. He worked in the university's law school at the Lockerbie Trial Briefing Unit until he was dropped from his post when he was unmasked as an ex-spook.

Visiting professors lose their title after leaving a university, but the academic status symbol has somehow followed Fulton in his business career.

A spokesman for the Scottish Conservatives said: "The formal appointment at Glasgow University was for four years, but in 2000 the visiting professorship dwindled around the time of the Lockerbie stuff. The use of him as an active visiting professor diminished." Fulton did not call himself "Professor", he added."It's not something he himself uses." However, on the website of Proudfoot Consulting, a firm which lists him as an adviser, Fulton's biography refers to him as a "visiting professor at his alma mater's school of law". He is also referred to as "Professor Andrew Fulton" on the website of edoMidas, a company that has him as its non-executive chairman, and as "Prof RA Fulton" on the site of the Scottish North American Business Council, which he chairs.

An SNP spokesman said: "Being economical with the truth as a double agent may have been good training for Mr Fulton to become Scottish Tory chairman.

However, it's embarrassing that his cover should have been blown within five minutes of taking up the post. The Tories will be shaken and stirred to learn they can't trust Mr Fulton." In 2000, a Sunday Herald investigation revealed Fulton, the former MI6 station head in Washington, was appointed a visiting professor to the law school to give impartial advice to the world's media during the Lockerbie trial in The Hague. Fulton was suspected of infiltrating the unit to deflect criticism away from Western intelligence over the bombing of PanAm 103 in 1988.

On Friday, Fulton was praised by David Cameron, who said he would give experience and stature to the Scottish Conservatives in the build-up to a general election. He said: "I know Andrew will make a huge contribution to preparing our party for that challenge. I am delighted he has accepted the invitation to be chairman of the party in Scotland." Annabel Goldie MSP, the Scottish Conservative leader, added: "Scottish politics is at a pivotal stage and the appointment of Andrew as our chairman in Scotland demonstrates what a serious player the Scottish Conservatives are. Andrew is a substantial and respected figure and I look forward immensely to working with him in our continuing and exciting progress.

Fulton himself said: "We need to emphasise to people that voting Conservative is equally important in Scotland as in the rest of the UK. When I was growing up the Conservative presence in Scotland was strong. I see no reason why we cannot aspire to building towards that again."