A Tory MP deselected at the eleventh hour to make way for Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross has hit back at his own party’s claims he is too sick to stand.
Mr Ross is on the party’s management board, which ruled former minister David Duguid not well enough to contest the seat of Aberdeenshire North and Moray East.
But Mr Duguid, who has been in hospital since April, said the claims are “simply incorrect” and a “factual inaccuracy”.
He said the board decided to stand him down “although none of them had visited me”.
“They apparently took this decision based on two visits from the party director and without receiving any professional medical prognosis,” he said.
The former MP, who will not be eligible for thousands of pounds in redundancy pay from Parliament, said he was “very saddened by the way this whole episode has unfolded”.
Mr Ross has been accused of betraying a colleague for his own career.
He previously said he would quit Westminster to focus on Holyrood and his post as leader of the Scottish Conservatives.
Scottish deputy first minister Kate Forbes branded Mr Ross’s behaviour as “straight out of the Farage playbook”, while Scottish Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie said it showed there is “no promise flip-flop Ross won’t break”.
Mr Ross has defended his decision, saying there were “very unique circumstances” and timings which meant the party had just 24 hours to get another candidate in place.
He told BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme boundary changes meant a part of the seat includes his former Moray constituency.
He added: “I want to lead from the front, this is a really important seat.
“It’s one of the many key seats across Scotland where it is a straight choice between the Scottish Conservatives and the SNP.”
He said Mr Duguid had been an “absolute champion” for the area and the Conservative party management board had had a “difficult decision” to make.
Mr Ross said: “The party management board had to look at the situation right now, the situation with David’s health, his recovery, which was at the heart of the decision the management board took.
“It was a very difficult decision, and I understand how difficult it has been for David, for his family, for his staff. I have been in touch with his office.”
Asked whether he has spoken to Mr Duguid since he put himself forward for the seat, Mr Ross said he had “reached out” to him, adding that “he will maybe speak when he is able to and he feels able to speak”.
Pressed on whether he had messaged Mr Duguid or tried to speak to him, Mr Ross added: “We have done both, but given he is in hospital it is not straightforward.
“I have been in conversation with David’s office and such like, relaying as much support as we can.”
