SNP claim Ross’s position as Tory leader ‘untenable’ after reversal on Johnson
DOUGLAS Ross’s position has become “completely untenable” as a result of his spectacular U-turn over the fate of Boris Johnson, the SNP has claimed.
The Nationalists said that the Scottish Tory leader had shredded the last of his dignity and he should resign “immediately”.
The Tories accused the SNP of recklessly trying to destabilise the UK against the backdrop of the Russian war on Ukraine.
Mr Ross had urged Mr Johnson to resign over the partygate scandal in January, saying his position as PM was “no longer tenable”, a stance backed by most Tory MSPS.
“He is the Prime Minister – it is his Government that put these rules in place and he has to be held to account for his actions,” Mr Ross had said, confirming that he had submitted a letter to the Commons backbench 1922 committee asking for a vote of no confidence.
However, with the war in Ukraine cementing Mr Johnson’s position in No 10, Mr Ross last week reversed his position and withdrew his letter.
As it was also confirmed the Prime Minister would attend this week’s Scottish Tory conference in Aberdeen, Mr Ross said: “The middle of an international crisis is not the time to be discussing resignations, unless it’s the removal from office of Vladimir Putin. There will be a time and place to debate partygate but, as even Keir Starmer said, we should put that on pause while there is war in Europe.”
Opposition parties accused Mr Ross of being spineless, and the Moray MP was forced to claim he didn’t mind that people might now regard him as a “lightweight”.
The SNP last night said Mr Ross had not only humiliated himself, he had “tarnished the reputation” of his MSPS, given most of them backed his call for the PM to quit.
SNP MSP Rona Mackay said: “Douglas Ross’s position as Scottish Tory leader is completely untenable.
“Not only has he led the country on a wild ride, but he has also marched his Holyrood colleagues up the hill and left them high and dry as he withdraws his letter weeks after submitting it.
“No-one, not even his party, can believe a word he says now, as he has shredded any integrity he had left by performing this screeching U-turn. He should resign immediately before he embarrasses himself any more.
“Not only that but Douglas Ross will soon welcome Boris Johnson with open arms to the Scottish Tory conference later this month.
“Boris Johnson is unfit for office on the domestic and international stage. While ordinary people sacrificed so much through the pandemic, Boris Johnson and his Tory party held boozy drinks in Downing Street.”
The Scottish Tories said: “We’re in the middle of an international crisis. The SNP might not have noticed but there is a major war in Europe for the first time in decades.
“Removing the Prime Minister would only benefit Putin. It’s reckless of the SNP to try and destabilise the United Kingdom when Russia is bombing maternity wards in Ukraine.”