Boris and Ruth in crunch talks
Leaders to meet in Scotland on Monday as new PM adds ‘Minister for the Union’ to his title as commitment to UK
SCOTLAND’S Tory leader will hold ‘clear the air’ talks with Boris Johnson next week amid growing calls from senior colleagues for her to break away from the UK Conservative Party.
Ruth Davidson is expected to meet the new Prime Minister on Monday on his first visit to Scotland since he entered No10 Downing Street.
It will follow Mr Johnson’s announcement that he has changed his official title to ‘Prime Minister and Minister for the Union’ in what Downing Street described as a ‘statement of commitment’ to a united Britain.
Miss Davidson refused to back Mr Johnson in the leadership contest, instead giving her support to his opponents Sajid Javid, Michael Gove and Jeremy Hunt.
It will be the first time the pair have met face to face since his election, which saw him sack the Edinburgh Central MSP’s key ally David Mundell, risking an immediate breakdown in their relationship.
Sources close to Miss Davidson said she had pressed for Mr Mundell to remain as Scottish Secretary but this was rejected by Mr Johnson.
Critics have claimed Mr Johnson is ‘toxic’ north of the Border, with a recent poll showing that up to 63 per cent would vote to leave the UK if he pursues a No Deal Brexit.
However, Mr Johnson has pledged his support to the Union and vowed to put this ahead of his ambition for the UK to leave the EU on October 31.
Yesterday sources close to Miss Davidson said details of a meeting between the pair had not been finalised, but admitted they would be held to ‘clear the air’.
The showdown talks will be held as senior Tory members, including MPs and MSPs, call for the Scottish Conservatives to break away from the UK party.
Fears have been raised over the image of the party south of the Border, which some claim is now seen as an ‘English nationalist party’.
They also believe Miss Davidson has been successful in creating an alternative centre-Right Tory party with a ‘distinctive Scottish’ identity, with Mr Johnson’s election bolstering the move for change.
According to sources close to Miss Davidson, she is aware of conversations in the party and is ‘comfortable’ for the debate to take place.
However, she has rejected the calls and insisted the Conservative and Unionist Party will remain – north and south of the Border.
Speaking this week, Miss Davidson said: ‘I have never advocated for that and I still don’t believe in it. However, I would gently point out that we are probably the most autonomous of all of the pro-Union parties in the United Kingdom.
‘I am solely in charge of financing, of management of campaigns, candidates, of policy.
‘So in terms of the role of a new PM within the Scottish Conservative Party, I think the most influence they have is they have a power of veto over the Scottish chairman.’
Last night a source close to Miss Davidson said the formation of a new Scottish party had ‘been an issue right back to
‘He wants to unite country’
when Ruth was elected’, with her then opponent Murdo Fraser championing the move.
They said she is aware of the ‘support within the party’ for breaking away from the UK party, adding: ‘Ruth is aware of this and is comfortable for that debate to happen.
‘She’s quite relaxed about it at the moment. Nobody can say whether this will go anywhere.’
However, they claimed it could be raised in a group meeting at Holyrood.
Yesterday, Mr Johnson confirmed he had changed his own title and will officially be known as Prime Minister and Minister for the Union, in an attempt to boost his credentials as a Unionist. He pledged to make this change during the leadership election, when he said he would secure the integrity of the Union ahead of delivering Brexit. A Downing Street spokesman said this was a ‘statement of his commitment’ to strengthening the UK.
Mr Johnson has also spoken to Nicola Sturgeon on the telephone, with a spokesman claiming they had ‘positive discussions’.
He added: ‘The PM has set out that he is going be the leader for the whole of the United Kingdom and he wants to unite the country and unleash the productive power of every corner of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.’
The spokesman said Mr Johnson had told the first meeting of the Cabinet on Thursday that he would be taking the title of Minister for the Union alongside that of Prime Minister, adding: ‘It is a statement of his commitment to the strengthening of the Union and the value he places upon it’.
It is not known if Mr Johnson will meet Miss Sturgeon on his visit to Scotland next week.
However, previously sources close to the Prime Minister said he would not meet the First Minister at Bute House – and would instead aim to meet her in a city such as Manchester for a joint ministerial committee meeting with the other devolved leaders.