THE Scottish Conservatives' stand-in leader has said Ruth Davidson was right to abandon her controversial £2,000-a-day job with a lobbying firm. 

Jackson Carlaw revealed he was not told about Ms Davidson’s second job in advance, but insisted she had now put the interests of Holyrood first.

Ms Davidson, who stood down as leader of the Scottish Tories in August, was widely criticised after accepting a role with London-based Tulchan Communications while still an MSP. 

She was due to be paid £50,000 for 24 days a year as a senior adviser to the PR firm on top of her basic salary of £63,579 as a parliamentarian.

However, following a backlash from political opponents and industry bodies, she has now agreed “not to proceed with the appointment” after it became "increasingly contentious".

Mr Carlaw was asked about the move as he launched the Scottish Tories' general election push in Perth. 

He said: “I wasn’t advised about it in advance. It was obviously a decision that Ruth took on her own, as is the decision she has now taken to withdraw from that.

“But I’m looking forward to having Ruth at the heart of our campaign in Scotland. 

“We’re able to use our former leaders. I doubt the SNP will be using Alex Salmond. I doubt the Labour Party will be using Kezia Dugdale, and Tavish Scott has abandoned the Liberal Democrats. 

“So we’ve got our leaders – Annabel Goldie, Ruth Davidson – still working for the party, and I’ll be delighted that they’re out campaigning for us in the election.”

He added: “Ruth is capable of coming to the decisions that she does entirely on her own. 

"I’m not someone who is opposed to parliamentarians having second jobs. 

“I think the experience that these can sometimes bring to the Parliament is a good thing.

"In many respects being a minister is a second job that’s paid.

“So I don’t have that objection in principle. But the decision Ruth took was entirely one she arrived at on her own account. 

“I happen to think she’s taken the right decision, and that she’s putting Parliament and the interests of Parliament first.”

He continued: "She and I talked it through, and I said I would support whatever decision she arrived at.

"She didn't discuss it with me in advance, and I think she has arrived at the correct decision."

Mr Carlaw was campaigning with his party's candidate for Perth and North Perthshire, Angus Forbes, who is currently a local councillor. 

Mr Forbes said Ms Davidson's initial decision to take on the PR job was "probably, with hindsight, badly advised". 

He added: "I think she's done the right thing by reversing that decision." 

Mr Carlaw was also questioned over his party's decision to continue using Ms Davidson on its general election leaflets despite her standing down as leader.

The Scottish Tories are sending out letters carrying a signed message from Ms Davidson, a prominent Remain advocate, with her photograph at the top.

Asked why he did not feature on election literature, Mr Carlaw said: “I’ll be on plenty of the election literature and leaflets that go out as we go forward.”