RUTH Davidson has suffered a fresh blow to her authority after the person she chose as the new Scottish Conservative chairman dropped out over a conflict of interest.
Lord Jamie Lindsay had been lined up to replace MP David Mundell, who has been acting chairman since November.
However, Lord Lindsay's position as chairman of the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) threw the plan into disarray, as college funding is a political hot potato for the SNP, and it was felt impossible for him to hold both roles.
Questions are now being asked in Tory circles as to why Lord Lindsay was ever approached for the job, given he has been SAC chair since 2007, and the wider row over college funding is not new.
One senior Tory described the situation as a "complete balls-up" and a "huge embarrassment".
Mundell will now stay on as interim chair until at least the summer. It also means that whoever does become chair will know they were not first choice.
He confirmed Lord Lindsay had been "sounded out" for the Tory chairmanship, but that there had been an issue with his chairmanship of SAC. He denied it was a problem for the party.
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