EAST Renfrewshire’s MP has declared his support for Jeremy Hunt in the fight to become Britain’s next Prime Minister.

Paul Masterton is one of just three Scottish Tory MPs to give his backing to Mr Hunt over rival Boris Johnson as the race to reach 10 Downing Street enters the final straight.

Eastwood MSP Jackson Carlaw has also confirmed he is supporting the Foreign Secretary.

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Mr Carlaw is among more than half of the party’s 31 MSPs to sign a letter that backs Mr Hunt’s bid to defeat Mr Johnson.

The letter, also signed by Mr Masterton, states: "We must choose a candidate who we can trust to unite the country. The eventual Prime Minister must be able to deliver a good Brexit deal and, even more importantly, protect our precious union.”

It adds: “Many of us previously backed other candidates, including Rory Stewart and Michael Gove. We did so because of their energy, ideas and their commitment to Scotland’s interests within the UK.

“The more we see and hear from Jeremy Hunt, the more we have become convinced that he has those same necessary attributes to lead and unite the country.”

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In a statement, Mr Johnson’s campaign team in Scotland said: “From having 11 leadership candidates to now having two, each and every Conservative candidate is a unionist. It’s in our party name. No candidate is more unionist then the other.

“The real threat to the union is failing to deliver Brexit by October 31 and allowing Jeremy Corbyn, propped up by Nicola Sturgeon’s SNP, into No. 10 agreeing to another independence referendum.”