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Moray MP Douglas Ross has been named the new leader of the Scottish Conservatives.

The 37-year-old was unopposed in the race to take on the top job.

“Becoming leader of the Scottish Conservatives today is the honour and privilege of a lifetime,” he said.

“Now our focus must turn to earning the trust of people looking for a positive and credible alternative for Scotland, and who want a fresh start for our country.”

Ross will replace MSP Jackson Carlaw, whose resignation last week led to Ross declaring his candidacy the following day.

Carlaw said he believed he was not “the person best placed” for the leadership.

Ross quit as a junior minister in the Scotland Office in May over Dominic Cummings’ alleged breach of lockdown rules.

He is expected to stand for election to the Scottish Parliament in May next year.

Ruth Davidson, the party’s former leader, will stand in for Ross at first minister’s questions and, once again, go up against Nicola Sturgeon.

SNP deputy leader Keith Brown MSP said: “Douglas Ross is Boris Johnson’s man in Scotland. Westminster has launched a total takeover of the Scottish Tories and installed a Brexit-backing MP to act as a puppet for Downing Street.”

Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie said: “Just months ago, the Scottish Tories were maintaining the pretence that they were something different from the extremist no-deal Brexiteers of the Boris Johnson camp.

“Today the instalment of Douglas Ross as their part-time, absentee leader without even asking their members confirms that there isn’t a hint of difference between them.”

It came as Sturgeon announced lockdown restrictions are to be reimposed on the Aberdeen area after 54 new cases emerged in a coronavirus cluster.