Davidson sides with May and hits back at Johnson

Scottish Tory leader mocks London MP’s failures as mayor

Theresa May and Ruth Davidson led the backlash against Boris Johnson’s claim the prime minister’s Brexit plan is “deranged”.

The Scottish Conservative leader sided with the beleaguered PM as the Tory civil war on Europe took hold of the UK party’s conference in Birmingham.

Mr Johnson made the incendiary comments on the first day of the gathering in Birmingham on Sunday in a clear sign of his leadership ambitions.

Calling for a “period of silence” from Mr Johnson and others, Ms Davidson mocked the London MP, listing some of his failures as the city’s mayor.

She suggested he was struggling to follow Brexit, pointing out he had given his endorsement when in government to Brexit policies he was now criticising.

Speaking to The Sunday Times, Mr Johnson drew a distinction between his Brexit credentials and those of the prime minister, who campaigned for Remain in the 2016 referendum.

“Unlike the prime minister, I fought for this, I believe in it, I think it’s the right thing for our country and I think that what is happening now is, alas, not what people were promised in 2016,” he said.

Mrs May insisted to the BBC: “I do believe in Brexit. Crucially, I believe in delivering Brexit in a way that respects the vote and delivers on the vote of the British people while also protecting our union, protecting jobs and ensuring we make a success of Brexit for the future.”

Ross Thomson MP, one of the few Scottish Conservatives who campaigned for Leave, described Mrs May’s Brexit plan as “at best, Eurocrat dystopia”.

Under the Chequers proposals, the UK would follow EU rules on goods to avoid a hard border between Ireland and the UK.

Mr Thomson told a fringe event that the PM must “chuck Chequers”. “If we don’t the consequences at the ballot box will be severe,” he said.

“If we as Conservatives do not deliver on Brexit as promised, as the public voted for we will lose seats like Mansfield, Middlesborough and Moray.

“We would usher in the chaos of a Corbyn government.”

In her speech to conference today, Ms Davidson will say the party must get behind the PM or see Labour in power.

“We can agree a Brexit deal under the Conservatives or we can risk handing the keys of Downing Street to Jeremy Corbyn,” she is expected to say.

Picture: Getty Images. Prime Minister Theresa May says she believes in Brexit.