INTERIM Scottish Conservatives leader Jackson Carlaw has been “slapped down” by colleagues after he said there should not be a debate about the party splitting from Boris Johnson’s Conservatives.

Carlaw, who is standing in for Ruth Davidson after she quit last week, claimed the Scottish Tories already had the “independence” to set their own policy agenda.

However, it is understood that his comments angered senior party figures who have told him it is not his place as caretaker boss to make such sweeping statements.

Davidson’s decision to stand down sent her party into a tailspin as she has dominated Scottish Tory messaging for the better part of a decade.

A consensus quickly emerged that there should not be an early leadership contest, given the uncertainty over Brexit and the prospect of a General Election. Carlaw, the party’s deputy leader, agreed to step up on an interim basis until the contest is called.

It is understood that the key issue for the Scottish Tories over the next few months will be on whether the party should either split from the UK party or become more autonomous.

Davidson won the leadership in 2011 after defeating this proposal, which had been suggested by rival Murdo Fraser.

However, senior party figures believe times have changed and a majority of Tory MSPs, as well as a big majority of shadow cabinet members, are said to back a rethink of the relationship with the UK party.

Fraser and Adam Tomkins, the party’s shadow constitution secretary, are on the record voicing their support for a revised structure. There is no preferred model, but advocates of change are attracted to setting up a new party purely for Holyrood elections.

In comments reported yesterday, Carlaw shot down the idea of a debate.

“I just don’t think an introspective debate of that character is going to impress people when there are huge issues facing the country,” he said.

“I do believe we have that independence to develop our own political agenda on devolved issues. That was one of the prizes Ruth won – and I think it set us distinctly away from the rest of the UK.”

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Image: Davidson

Speaking to The Herald on Sunday, a party MSP hit back: “Jackson has been slapped down for making these comments. It is fundamentally not his place to make this decision as interim leader. He has been told he cannot make rulings on issues such as this.”

Supporters of changing the relationship with the UK party want an internal review to examine a range of options, rather than allowing the issue to dominate a leadership contest.

The MSP continued: “Having a review before the contest makes a lot of sense. We are now in a situation where a majority of our parliamentarians in Scotland are willing to explore other models for the structure of the party, and it would be difficult to conduct that debate within the heat of a leadership contest.”

A second MSP said: “I am in favour of having another structure and we should have a review or a commission report back before the contest. It would look at the pros and cons of all the different models.”

The parliamentarian said the change was not related to Johnson becoming Prime Minister, but it was essential nonetheless. “It is necessary because there is a growing sense that devolution requires a bespoke party to deal with devolved issues. Scottish politics has been so divided that we need our own voice.”

A third MSP said: “It would be f****** stupid not to be talking about this.”

Potential leadership contenders include MSPs Carlaw, Fraser, Tomkins, Donald Cameron, Dean Lockhart, Miles Briggs, Liam Kerr and Michelle Ballantyne. An MP could also stand.

A party spokesman said: “Jackson is more than happy for a debate to take place within the party. However, all MPs and MSPs agree the priority right now is delivering Brexit and managing a General Election that might be around the corner.”