Conservative leader Ross accepts ‘lightweight’ taunt after U-turn on PM’S fate

DOUGLAS ROSS has said he does not care if his spectacular U-turn over the future of Boris Johnson makes him look like a “lightweight”.

The Scottish Conservative leader stunned Holyrood on Thursday night when he announced that he had withdrawn his letter to the backbench 1922 Committee in the Commons that had asked for a vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister. Mr Ross said the debate over the Downing Street partygate row should be put “on pause” while there is “war in Europe.”

Yesterday, just hours after the announcement, it emerged Mr Johnson had praised Mr Ross’s “excellent leadership” in a message to Scottish party members.

In a booklet for next week’s Scottish conference, the PM wrote: “This will be the first party conference held since the Scottish elections last May at which, under Douglas Ross’ excellent leadership, you defied the critics by retaining 31 seats in the Scottish Parliament and cemented your position as Scotland’s second biggest party.”

Earlier this year, nearly all of the 31 MSPS returned at that election were backing Mr Ross’s call for Mr Johnson to stand down.

The Scottish Tory leader’s unexpected U-turn saw him ridiculed by political opponents, with Labour accusing him of using the conflict in Ukraine to “go back on his principles”. The Liberal Democrats said he had the “backbone of a jellyfish”.

Speaking to the BBC’S Good Morning Scotland, Mr Ross said Moscow’s invasion put the row about parties in Downing Street over lockdown into perspective.

He said: “I have confidence in the Prime Minister to deal with this situation at the moment. He needs our backing. The UK Government needs our backing. President Zelenskyy praised the Prime Minister in that historic address to the House of Commons and the joint session between MPS and peers, and this is the focus now.

“So this is where all our resources should be directed towards. We should be supporting the Government to support the people of Ukraine, to support the Government of Ukraine, because the real threat to everything at the moment is from Vladimir Putin.

“It’s not actions that took place a couple of years ago, serious though they are. It’s the actions that are happening right now with people dying, children losing their lives, and a country being destroyed through no fault of their own through the actions of Russia and Vladimir Putin”

When asked if the change of heart made him look a “lightweight”, Mr Ross said “I don’t care. I really don’t care. I know political opponents will criticise me for this. That’s fine.”

There was support for Mr Ross’s change of heart from some of his backbenchers. Tory MSP Murdo Fraser tweeted: “This is the right move at this time. It would be deeply irresponsible to seek to change Prime Minister when the international situation is as it is.”