Ross withdraws his demand for Johnson to quit saying an international crisis is not the time to talk about resignations
Douglas Ross has withdrawn his call for Boris Johnson to quit.
The Scottish Conservative leader said the middle of an international crisis “is not the time to be discussing resignations”.
Critics accused him of having the “backbone of a jellyfish”.
It comes after it was confirmed Mr Johnson will attend the Scottish Tory conference in person next week “to speak about the war in Ukraine”.
He had been expected to deliver a speech via video link amid tensions between the Scottish and UK Tories.
Mr Ross previously led calls for the Prime Minister to resign over the Downing Street parties scandal, insisting his position was "no longer tenable".
But in a U-turn, he 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 [UK Labour leader]
Keir Starmer said at the weekend, we should put that on pause while there is war in Europe.
"It's essential that we all fully support what the UK Government is doing.
"In light of Russia's appalling actions, the Government and Prime Minister need our backing, and they have mine and the whole Scottish Conservative party.
"We should all be focused on what we can do to help the Ukrainian people in any capacity."
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said: "We are right to be defending democracy in Ukraine, but that doesn't mean we stop doing democracy at home.
"This is a Prime Minister that has broken his own laws and shown contempt for the people of the UK.
"Douglas Ross should not be using the Ukraine crisis to go back on his principles.
“He knows Boris Johnson is not fit to be Prime Minister.”
Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Willie Rennie said: “Douglas Ross and the Scottish Conservatives have the backbone of a jellyfish.
“Their limited welcome betrays a deep embarrassment that they are lumbered with a Prime Minister that they are ashamed of because of his double standards.”