Douglas Ross has become an official leadership candidate in his bid to take charge of the Scottish Conservatives.
Mr Ross successfully passed the threshold of 100 nominations needed under party rules to formally enter the contest to replace Jackson Carlaw.
Anyone who wishes to challenge the Moray MP for the position of leader of the Scottish Conservatives will need to secure 100 nominations by midnight on Wednesday.
Mr Carlaw shocked the nation when he resigned as Scottish Tory leader on Thursday stating that the party needed a fresher face to take them forward it.
READ MORE: Douglas Ross: Five things you need to know about new potential Scottish Tory leader
I'm delighted to have reached the key milestone of 100 nominations to become an official candidate for leader of the Scottish Conservatives. I'll continue talking to members and colleagues across Scotland to assure them I'm the right person to take the fight to the SNP - and win.
— Douglas Ross MP (@Douglas4Moray) August 1, 2020
Speaking at a virtual Zoom press conference on Saturday morning, Mr Ross put localism as a "top priority" of his leadership.
Under his leadership, the party would seek to "set out new ways to take powers out of the hands of ministers at Holyrood and hand them back to our communities” who he said "feel they have little or no control over their way of life"
The Moray MP added:
"Nicola Sturgeon is right, there has been a power grab. But it’s not been performed by the UK Government but by her own.
"Over 13 years, too much power has been drawn into the SNP’s hands in Edinburgh and our regions, cities and towns have lost control as a result.
"Under my leadership, a top priority of the Scottish Conservatives will be to set out new ways to take powers out of the hands of ministers at Holyrood and hand them back to our communities, our rural areas, our towns and villages, who feel they have little or no control over their way of life."
READ MORE: Ruth Davidson: Douglas Ross has 'vision, drive and energy' to lead Scottish Conservatives
Ms Davidson would stand in as leader of the parliamentary Tory party at Holyrood until Mr Ross took his seat, including facing off against Nicola Sturgeon at First Minister’s Questions.
Ross said: "I’m delighted to have reached this key milestone in a short space of time.
"Since Jackson’s resignation I’ve been speaking to colleagues and gathering support, and I’ve been really pleased with the feedback I’ve received.
"The focus now for me is to continue speaking to members and colleagues to assure them I’m the right man to take the fight to the SNP."
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