Can Douglas Ross stop Scexit?

Douglas Ross is the new leader of the Scottish Conservatives and since his predecessor lasted all of 167 days, best of luck might be more in order than congratulations. The Moray MP was awarded the position unopposed after Jackson Carlaw resigned entirely of his own volition and without any input from Downing Street. Ross inherits a party 35 points behind in the polls with a Holyrood election on the cards for next May. The SNP currently controls the Scottish parliament with the help of the nationalist Greens but, on present polling trends, would likely win a majority of seats in its own right.

Worse, during Carlaw’s tenure, support for Scexit — Scotland’s exit from the United Kingdom — crossed over into the majority. Nicola Sturgeon is under pressure from within her party to demand another referendum on secession and the SNP leader is certain to claim victory next May as a mandate.