DOUGLAS Ross has turned to the only other Scottish Tory MSP with Westminster experience to bring order to his new Holyrood group.

In his first shadow cabinet change, the Scottish Tory leader appointed Stephen Kerr as his chief whip, replacing Miles Briggs.

Ten of the 31 Tory MSPs are new to the job.

Mr Kerr, a Mormon who was MP for Stirling from 2017 to 2019, was last week elected to Holyrood as a list MSP for Central Scotland.

He and Mr Ross both became MPs for the first time at the 2017 election, although Mr Ross still holds his Moray seat.

Mr Ross said he would announce the rest of his shadow Cabinet over the next fortnight.

Nicola Sturgeon yesterday said she would reshuffle her cabinet after she was formally reappointed as First Minster next week.

Mr Ross said: “I’d like to thank Miles for all his work as chief whip and he will remain an essential part of our team.

“Miles has proven to be a great campaigner in the past, particularly by pushing the SNP to enact Frank’s Law, and we will need his energy for a Shadow Cabinet that will be ready to take on the SNP and drive forward Scottish Conservative policies.

“As we continue to be a strong opposition and start on the road to building Scotland’s real alternative to the SNP, we need MSPs like Miles who will get things done and deliver results.

“I am delighted to appoint Stephen Kerr as chief whip. I’m confident that he has the experience and determination to make sure the Scottish Parliament is 100% focused on our recovery from Covid.”

Mr Kerr said the Scottish Tories would be “a stronger opposition that ever before. We will hold the SNP to account and get all of the focus onto rebuilding Scotland, as we promised in our campaign.

“We won 100,000 more votes than in 2016 and retained the substantial seat gains we made in 2016.

“We now have an opportunity to create Scotland’s real alternative to the SNP and every Scottish Conservative MSP is ready to work hard and make that happen.”