TORY MP Andrew Bowie has said Alister Jack is doing an “impressive job” of blocking legislation passed in the Scottish Parliament.
It comes after Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme was delayed until at least October 2025, when the UK-wide scheme will come into force after the UK Government refused to give an Internal Market Act exemption for glass to be included in the Scottish scheme.
Scottish Secretary Jack said earlier this week that he welcomed the move and that schemes “need to be consistent across the whole of the UK”.
He was previously accused of making “inaccurate claims” about DRS which left the First Minister saying Jack simply wanted to “sink” the scheme.
It was also Jack who issued the Section 35 order to block the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Act despite it being passed by an overwhelming majority of MSPs from across the political spectrum.
Speaking on BBC’s Sunday Show, Bowie was asked if Jack should resign given he served in Boris Johnson’s government.
Bowie said: “Well Alister Jack is the current Secretary of State for Scotland doing a very impressive job, actually, in standing up to some of the recent legislation we’ve seen coming out of Holyrood and delivering for Scotland within the Conservative government.
“And I know he serves loyally the Prime Minister and will continue to do so for quite some time.
“He’s got my full support in doing so.”
Bowie also played down reports of a “civil war” within the Conservative Party following the resignation of three Tory MPs, including Boris Johnson and Nadine Dorries in the space of 24 hours.
“It’s certainly not a civil war. I think when you look at what the vast majority of Conservative MPs and Conservative ministers within the government are focused on this weekend, it’s not the comings and goings and the utterances of those close to Boris Johnson.
“It’s actually focused on delivering for the British people, focused on the Prime Minister’s priorities, which we believe are the priorities of British people and getting on and governing this country in as calm and sensible a way as possible.”
He said this was “rightly expected” after the “drama” of the previous few years.
