Fury as boomerang MP gets old job back
Tory axed by former PM is reappointed
The Scottish Tories have been labelled “not fit for office” after an MP sacked by Boris Johnson was handed his old job back.
Prime Minister Liz Truss announced that David Duguid would return as a junior Scotland Office minister – despite being axed by former PM Johnson last year.
MPs John Lamont and Andrew Bowie were overlooked for the job,
with rival parties saying it shows the new Prime Minister does not rate her Scottish colleagues.
Duguid, the MP for Banff and Buchan, was ousted fromhis Scotland Office role inSeptember 2017 when Johnson reshuff led his Cabinet. No one replaced him in the job. Lamont, MP for Berwickshire, Roxburgh & Selkirk, worked for Truss while shewas foreign secretary but quit to call for Johnson’s resignation.
The Sunday Mail understands that Bowie, MP for Aberdeenshire West & Kincardine, had privately promised support to Truss in the Tory leadership race but switched to back Rishi Sunak.
Bowie did not deny the claims when asked and said: “David is my friend, a great advocate for Scotland, and will form an outstanding part of the Scotland Office team.”
Ian Murray, Labour shadow Scottish secretary, said the move “shows how utterly desperate the Tories are”. He added: “They are hiring Walter Mitty characters to staffpositions.”
The SNP’s shadow secretary of state for Scotland, Mhairi Black, said: “The reappointment of David Duguid is nothing more than a feeble attempt of shuffling the deck chairs on the Titanic. Liz Truss clearly has zero faith in her Scottish MPs”
A Government spokesman said: “David Duguid brings a wealth of experience, not least relating to Scotland’s vital energy industry.”
Duguid declined to comment.