Tories in Westminster 'transfer'

Clockwise from left: Tory MSPs Phil Gallie, Alex Johnstone, David Mundell and Jamie McGrigor

The leader of the Scottish Conservatives has given his full backing to the four Tory MSPs who are considering quitting Holyrood for Westminster.

BBC Scotland has learned that MSPs Phil Gallie, Alex Johnstone, Jamie McGrigor and David Mundell are looking at standing in the next UK general election.

Scottish Tory leader David McLetchie said he was "totally relaxed" about the possibility of his colleagues looking for a seats at Westminster.

He said: "Scotland has two parliaments and it is perfectly natural that some MSPs may want to serve out people in Scotland's other parliament - at Westminster.

Clear commitment

"This is a matter for the individuals concerned who may wish to put their names forward and for the members of our constituency associations who select candidates.

"If any of my MSP colleagues are selected to stand, they will have my full backing and support. We are determined to elect more Scottish Conservative MPs at the next general election."

Speaking to BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme, Alex Johnstone, MSP for the North East Scotland region, said: "I have to make it clear my commitment is very much to the Scottish Parliament.

"But it does make sense for members of a party that is predominantly a unionist party and wants to commit itself to the Union to consider all possibilities.

David McLetchie said the MSPs had his backing

"When asked if I would consider going to Westminster, I have to say I've considered it, I've made no decisions yet, but it is something I haven't dismissed."

Mr Johnstone said the matter was a personal choice and there had been no move by the party to select who may stand for Westminster.

BBC Scotland's political correspondent Glenn Campbell said legally MSPs could sit in both parliaments but party rules are unlikely to allow that.

Candidates are not selected until the New Year when proposed boundary changes are settled.

'Dead duck'

All four of the MSPs in question were elected on the top-up lists, which means they could be replaced at Holyrood without a by-election.

Former Scottish National Party (SNP) leader Alex Salmond was the only MSP to quit Holyrood for Westminster in the last parliament and has just announced his intention to return to Holyrood.

But the SNP's Roseanna Cunningham accused the Conservatives of trying to "have their cake and eat it".

"They are not going to be going to Westminster, they are going to be staying in the Scottish Parliament because they are not going to win the Westminster elections," she said.

"From then on they will be dead duck MSPs because they will have made it patently obvious that the Scottish Parliament is their second choice."