RUTH Davidson will return to the political frontline to lead the Scottish Tory group of MSPs in Holyrood, it has been confirmed.

The move came as Douglas Ross, who was appointed party leader last week, unveiled his new shadow cabinet line-up. 

Ms Davidson’s role means she will once again clash with Nicola Sturgeon at First Minister’s Questions.

But her successor as party leader Jackson Carlaw, who resigned last month, has not been given a frontbench job.

Mr Ross, who is the MP for Moray, hopes to enter Holyrood at the next election in May.

Read more: Douglas Ross refuses to deny 'plotting' against previous Scottish Tory leader

Until then, Ms Davidson will lead the party’s 31 MSPs in the Scottish Parliament, while Mr Ross will lead the party as a whole.

Ms Davidson, who quit as Scottish Tory leader last summer, is standing down at the election in 2021 and moving to the House of Lords.

Elsewhere, Mr Ross has scrapped the party’s deputy leader positions, while Glasgow MSP Adam Tomkins has been removed from the frontbench as he is also standing down in May.

He was previously a senior figure in the party in charge of strategy.

Other changes will see Lothian MSP Miles Briggs moved from the health brief to become chief whip. 

Donald Cameron, who was previously finance spokesman, will take over health, while Murdo Fraser will replace him on finance.

Mr Fraser, a long-serving MSP and former Scottish Conservative deputy leader, previously held the constitution brief.

Former chief whip Liz Smith will take on the environment portfolio, while Oliver Mundell has been handed the rural economy and tourism role.

Dean Lockhart will take on constitution, Europe and external affairs, and Annie Wells has been given communities and local government. 

Jamie Greene, Maurice Golden and Liam Kerr will keep their education, economy and justice roles, respectively. 

Finally, Graham Simpson has been appointed to the transport brief and Rachael Hamilton will take over as social security spokeswoman.

Earlier this week, Mr Ross repeatedly refused to deny having a hand in Mr Carlaw’s early exit as leader of the Scottish Conservatives.

It came after it emerged Ms Davidson had visited Mr Ross in his rural home four days before Mr Carlaw quit on July 30.

Boris Johnson and cabinet office minister Michael Gove also met Mr Ross just before Mr Carlaw said he had reached the painful conclusion that someone else should lead his party into the 2021 election.

The Eastwood MSP had been in the job less than six months, and party sources have claimed he was pushed out.

Ms Davidson backed Mr Ross for the leadership within minutes of Mr Carlaw’s resignation statement being published in a ‘joint ticket’ arrangement until the election.