June 25, 2012updated 14 Sep 2012 5:00pm

Former Scotsman editor McLellan takes Tory comms job

The former editor of The Scotsman, John McLellan, has been appointed the new communications director of the Scottish Conservatives.

Johnston Press, owner of The Scotsman, the Evening News and Scotland on Sunday, scrapped McLellan's role as editor-in-chief in April and left him looking for a new job.

In his new post, McLellan, 50, who had worked on the Edinburgh-based newspaper group for 19 years, will advise Scottish Tory party leader Ruth Davidson on "communications strategy, direction and content".

In his latter months as editor of The Scotsman, McLellan had come under fire from the SNP for what the party perceived to be an anti-SNP and anti-Scottish independence stance.

McLellan said: "It is no secret I strongly believe Scotland has benefited and will continue to benefit from being a strong part of the United Kingdom and I very much look forward to working with Ruth on developing the Scottish Conservative message at such a crucial time.

"A strong, modern Scottish Conservative voice with the values of hard work, just reward, personal responsibility and choice at its core has never been as badly needed as the SNP and Labour slug it out on the left.

Topics in this article : Johnston Press