Former Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson has issued a warning to pro-UK voters in the Aberdeen South by-election: unite behind the Tory candidate or risk letting in an SNP MP.

The $30 million gamble

The by-election, sparked by the resignation of former SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, has become a high-stakes battle between the Tories and the SNP.

Davidson, a House of Lords peer, has urged voters to back Tory candidate Douglas Lumsden to prevent an SNP MP from winning the seat.

She said: 'Aberdeen South's next MP will either be a Scottish Conservative MP, in Douglas Lumsden, who will relentlessly champion the oil and gas industry, or an SNP MP who will only accelerate the decline of the North Sea.'

Davidson will be campaigning in the seat over this weekend in a bid to persuade pro-Union voters to back her party.

Oil and gas: the industry at the heart of the by-election

The by-election has become a proxy battle for the future of the oil and gas industry in Scotland.

Davidson has urged voters to back Lumsden, who has worked in the industry for 25 years,to champion the sector.

Reform UK's candidate, Jo Hart, has also highlighted the importance of the industry, saying: 'It is fact that Reform UK Scotland is more committed to Scotland's oil and gas sector than any other party.'

What's at stake in Aberdeen South?

The by-election has significant implications for the SNP, which plunged from 48 seats at Westminster following the 2019 general election to only nine at the 2024 general election.

A loss in Aberdeen South could pile presure on SNP leader John Swinney in the wake of the Peter Murrell scandal.

The by-election is also seen as a test of the Tory party's ability to begin its fightback after heavy losses in the Holyrood elections last month.

Who is the unnamed buyer?

The source article does not reveal the identity of the unnamed buyer who is backing Reform UK's candidate , Jo Hart .

This lack of transparency raises questions about the motivations and interests of the party's backers.

Headlines Orbit's read: Ruth Davidson's plea to pro-UK voters in Aberdeen South is a clear indication of the stakes in this by-election.

Our take: The outcome of this by-election will have significant implications for the SNP and the future of the oil and gas industry in Scotland.

It remains to be seen whether pro-UK voters will unite behind the Tory candidate or risk letting in an SNP MP .