Our Politics newsletter is now daily. Join thousands of others and get the latest Scottish politics news sent straight to your inbox. Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Failed Tory leadership hopeful Rory Stewart is being lined up to replace Ruth Davidson at Holyrood, the Daily Record can reveal.

The Penrith MP – who was one of 21 Tory MPs to have the Conservative whip removed for voting against a no-deal Brexit – is being encouraged to stand for the Scottish Parliament by several MSPs.

Stewart was the surprise star of the Tory leadership contest over the summer as he captured the imagination of the public by touring the country to oppose Boris Johnson’s hardline Brexit policies.

But the Scots politician faces losing his job in any snap election as he will not be eligible to stand as the Tory candidate for his English seat after falling out with the party’s new Westminster leadership.

Now a group of remain backing MSPs are hoping to convince him to switch to Holyrood with an eye on eventually becoming the Scottish Tory leader.

Some are suggesting he is the party’s best hope of winning the 2021 Scottish Parliament election in the wake of Davidson’s resignation as leader.

It’s understood senior Scottish Tories contacted Stewart within hours of him losing the Westminster whip asking him to consider seeking selection as a future Holyrood candidate.

They suggested he could stand as a potential MSP in Perthshire, where his family has their home near Crieff, or the south-west of Scotland near his current Cumbria base.

A source said: “He would be a huge asset for us. Signing him up for the party here would also stick two fingers up at Boris.”

(Image: AFP/Getty Images)

The bid to get Stewart to Holyrood came as Davidson criticised Johnson’s decision to sack the 21 MPs for failing to vote with the UK Government.

Davidson said it was a “big risk” to remove the Tory whip from MPs such as Stewart, who were respected in their communities.

“The Prime Minister’s reason for sacking 21 MPs last Tuesday was because they voted against the Government to try to stop a no-deal Brexit,” she wrote in a newspaper column.

“Government spinners were quick to claim it was nothing personal, just enforcing discipline.

“But these weren’t MPs who lacked discipline. They weren’t serial rebels; in fact, this vote was the first time some of them had broken the whip in their entire careers.”

A source close to Stewart last night played down talk of the Holyrood switch. They said: “He has made it clear he is standing in his own seat. He loves Penrith and the Borders.

"His own association are behind him.”