JACKSON Carlaw will be no different to Ruth Davidson as Scottish Tory leader, according to the SNP.

Carlaw, who was interim leader of the party before he won the backing of 4917 Tory party members in Scotland, said the Scottish  Conservatives will be a clear alternative to Nicola Sturgeon and her "morally and politically bankrupt" Scottish Government.

But SNP depute leader Keith Brown hit back, saying Carlaw's challenge will be "whether he will stand up for Scotland’s interests against Boris Johnson".

He added: "Congratulations to Jackson Carlaw on winning the Scottish Tory leadership race. 

“Of course, with Jackson having run the party through their General Election collapse, this is a case of ‘meet the new boss – same as the old boss’.

“The big test for Carlaw will be whether he will stand up for Scotland’s interests against Boris Johnson. 

“He used to say that Boris Johnson wasn’t fit to be Prime Minister. He was right – but then he campaigned for precisely that. 

“Just as they went from Remainers to hard Brexiteers, it’s obvious that the Scottish Tories will continue to parrot whatever line they’re handed down from Westminster.”

Social security spokeswoman Michelle Ballantyne received 1581 votes.

Almost 60% of the party's 10,911 "eligible electors" cast their vote in the contest.

Carlaw will start making appointments to his top team immediately –and is also scheduled to speak to Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday afternoon.