THE TORIES' commitment to the Scottish parliament has been questioned after it emerged that three of their MSPs have been given "priority status" for finding a seat at Westminster.

Two of them, Alex Johnstone and Jamie McGrigor, say they will quit Holyrood immediately if they win a seat at the next general election.

The third, John Lamont, is also under fire for expressing interest in a job as an MP only three months after he was first elected to Holyrood.

The controversy follows the Scottish Conservatives'process for selecting "priority" candidates for winnable seats at Westminster.

As a way of ensuring mainstream candidates get a better-than-average shot at the small number of Scottish target seats, it was meant to be a tartan version of UK leader David Cameron's controversial "A-list".

However, the scheme has sparked outrage after the sifting process left out much-fancied candidates and included, in the words of one senior activist, "central office favourites".

Even worse, according to critics, is that the process has allowed three sitting Tory MSPs to use Holyrood as a "springboard" to further their political careers in London.

Johnstone, a right-winger who was elected in May to serve the northeast of Scotland, said he would resign immediately from Holyrood if he won a seat at Westminster.

"I will remain an MSP until such time as I am elected to the House of Commons, at which stage I would step down and allow somebody else to take my seat on the list. I am committed, first, to the people of the northeast of Scotland. Secondly, to the Conservative principles that brought me into the politics. In all honesty,loyalty to the Scottish parliament is neither here nor there."

McGrigor, the Tory list MSP for the Highlands, confirmed his place on the priority list and stated he would not keep two jobs.

"If I won at Westminster, I would have to stand down," he admitted. "I don't think you can do both. It's like everything else, we'll cross the bridges when one comes to them."

Lamont has also opened himself up for criticism, as he was only elected as the Tory MSP for Roxburgh and Berwickshire in May.

A spokesman for the Scottish Tories said: "It's up to each individual if they wish to comment on their own futures and their own intentions."