South Scotland Conservative List MSP, Brian Whittle, has today re-issued his appeal for UK Prime Minister Boris Johnston to stand down.
Johnston’s future as PM is hanging by a thread after UK Chancellor, Rishi Sunak and Heath Secretary, Sajid Javid, both quit their Cabinet roles yesterday.
But their departures have been followed by a raft of other resignations.
More than 20 resignations have so far been lodged to the government since Tuesday, including letters from former Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Heath Secretary Sajid Javid — as well as five parliamentary private secretaries.
And there were six further departures ahead of PMQs earlier today, including education ministers Will Quince and Robin Walker, Justice Minister Victoria Atkins, Treasury minister John Glen, and ministerial aides Laura Trott and Felicity Buchan, who’ve have all walked out.
The mass resignations come in the wake of the Chris Pincher row.
The PM appointed Pincher as deputy chief whip earlier this year, but admitted to the BBC he did so despite being aware of misconduct allegations against him.
Now his days as Prime Minister could be numbered.
Scottish Tory Mr Whittle waded into the furore, saying: “As I have said previously, I believe Boris Johnson should stand down and allow a leadership contest to take place. Unsurprisingly, this latest round of resignations has not changed my view.”
However, at Prime Minister’s Questions Johnston said he was going no-where, adding: “It’s exactly when the times are tough and when the country faces pressures on the economy and pressures on budgets, that’s exactly the moment you’d expect a government to continue the work and not walk away.”
South Scotland Labour List MSP, Colin Smith also issued a statement, calling for the PM to go.
He said: “If Boris Johnson had a shred of respect for the office of Prime Minister or an ounce of decency, he would have quit a long time ago.”
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