Ross calls out ‘plotters’ and urges party unity

DOUGLAS ROSS has called for unity within his party amid reports of a plot to challenge his leadership.

And the Scottish Tory leader sought to quell dissent by challenging opponents who fed the media ‘anonymous briefings’ to come forward.

In an interview with the Scotland on Sunday newspaper, Mr Ross, 39, denied he is ‘weak’.

He said: ‘I’d be happy to speak to people face to face, but so long as journalists keep writing anonymous sources up in stories then people will still be willing to give those comments.

‘The comments I’m putting my name to is I’m determined to continue to challenge this failing SNP government who have let Scotland down for 15 years.’

Mr Ross – a Highlands & Islands MSP and an MP for Moray – took over as leader from Jackson Carlaw in 2020.

He came under scrutiny for a series of U-turns over whether he backed Mr Johnson as the PM faced criticism ahead of his resignation earlier this year.

In recent weeks, there have been claims that disgruntled senior party members are preparing to unseat Mr Ross.

But he insisted the Tories’ poor standing in the polls can be reversed and urged the party to rally behind both him and new PM Rishi Sunak.

He said: ‘We need to unite as a party, right across the country, and focus all our attention on delivering for people where we are in government, and scrutinising for people where we are in opposition.’