New Scots Tory leader dodges questions over suggested plot to oust predecessor

Douglas Ross insists Ruth Davidson visited him on a personal matter

Douglas Ross has declined to say if Jackson Carlaw’s Scottish Conservative leadership was discussed when Ruth Davidson made the trip to his home in Moray four days before his resignation.

The newly installed Scottish Conservative leader said Ms Davidson made the long journey to discuss a “personal issue” but did not answer directly when asked if the leadership had come up in conversation.

The fact that Ms Davidson travelled from Edinburgh for a secret meeting with Mr Ross has led to claims the duo were plotting the downfall of Mr Carlaw.

Mr Ross claimed there was no plot, but dodged the question when asked if Mr Carlaw’s situation had been discussed when Ms Davidson travelled north. Mr Carlaw unexpectedly quit as Scottish Conservative leader last week, saying he’d come to the “painful conclusion” he was not the person best placed to defend the UK.

Mr Ross has since risen unchallenged to become Scottish Conservative leader with the help of Ms Davidson, who will stand in for him at First Minister’s Questions (FMQs) at Holyrood.

Earlier this week Ms Davidson was asked on BBC’s The Nine programme if there had been a plot to oust Mr Carlaw.

Programme host Martin Geissler asked if she had been helping Mr Ross before Mr Carlaw’s resignation. Ms Davidson replied: “No, no, no, after.”

When asked a similar question Mr Ross referred to a statement issued by the Conservatives, which said Ms Davidson visited on a “personal matter”. Mr Ross said: “It was after Jackson resigned I asked her to front FMQs.”

Asked if there were any discussions during the visit about Mr Carlaw, Mr Ross said: “I hope you understand that when you’re discussing a personal issue, I don’t think it is right it is discussed in the media. We’ve put out a statement and it has been covered by the party.”

Finally, Mr Ross was asked if Mr Carlaw’s name had come up at their meeting. He replied: “You can ask me a hundred times, but I think we have been quite upfront putting out that statement clarifying Ruth was visiting on a personal matter and after Jackson resigned I asked her to take over at FMQs.”

Labour’s Neil Findlay has accused Mr Ross and Ms Davidson of “hatching a plan” to get rid of Mr Carlaw as leader and called for full disclosure of what was discussed. Ms Davidson was unavailable for comment.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has defended the decision not to suspend the senior Tory MP who was arrested on suspicion of rape.

Asked during a visit to Warrington if he was confident it was the right decision not to remove the whip from the former minister amid safeguarding concerns, he said: “I think it’s very, very important that we take all these cases extremely seriously and we will continue to do so.

“I think we’ve got to wait for the police to decide whether they want to make charges and take a decision on that basis.”

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross.