THE Scottish Conservatives' stand-in leader has promised a “referendum-free period ahead” if voters back his party at the polls.
Jackson Carlaw said the Tory message was to “stop Nicola Sturgeon’s second independence referendum and get Brexit sorted”.
It came as he launched his party’s general election push in Perth, where the sitting MP, the SNP's Pete Wishart, has a majority of just 21.
MPs backed a general election on December 12 in a Commons vote last night.
Mr Carlaw rejected suggestions there is a vacuum at the top of the Scottish Tories in the wake of Ruth Davidson's decision to step down as leader in August.
He said: “There is no vacuum at the top of the party. I’m directing the campaign, and the campaign will be stop Nicola Sturgeon’s second independence referendum and to get Brexit sorted.
“That’s the message we’re getting from people on the doorsteps.
"That’s the message all our candidates will be communicating on the doorsteps, and I’m very confident about the election campaign we’re going to fight and the result that we’ll obtain.”
He added: “We’ve now fought several referendums. I’ve respected the result of them all – win or lose.
“Nicola Sturgeon has never respected the result of any referendum, other than the illegal one in Catalonia.
“I think that the people of Scotland want to see election results respected.
“As we go forward from here, Scottish Conservatives are promising a referendum-free period ahead.
“Nicola Sturgeon is promising another two referendums."
Mr Carlaw said the Scottish Tories would be "decisive and determined in this election campaign to stop Nicola Sturgeon’s attempt for another independence referendum”.
He said his is now the only party "that is absolutely resolute" in its support for the Union and opposition to another referendum.
Mr Carlaw was campaigning with his party's candidate for Perth and North Perthshire, Angus Forbes, who is currently a local councillor.
Elsewhere, he faced questions from journalists over Boris Johnson's trustworthiness.
Mr Carlaw insisted the Prime Minister had given him “no personal cause” to doubt this.
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