THE Question Time audience burst into laughter on Thursday night as the Scottish Tory leader sought to defend Liz Truss amid chaos in her government.
Asked by an audience member if he believes Truss will win the next General Election, Douglas Ross replied – while smiling – “Yes”.
People across the Musselburgh audience laughed as the Moray MP tried to explain his position.
“Look, I want the Conservatives to win every election.”
Panel host Fiona Bruce pointed out that Ross had made the claim “with quite a smile” on his face. Some polls currently have Labour more than 20 points ahead of the Tories, with Truss’s personal approval ratings at a dismal level just weeks into her premiership.
“I can just imagine what you’d say, Fiona, if I said no,” Ross went on.
The MSP and part-time linesman repeated that he “wants” Truss to win the next General Election, before being told the question was “will” she win it.
“Sorry, I thought you said do you want to,” he told the audience member. “Look, we’re a long way out from the next Election, the opinion polls right now are very difficult for the party.”
Again asked if Truss will win an election, he repeated: “Yes. I did say yes, right at the top.”
Ross went on: “I think we can get the economy back up and running again, we can help people, clearly Anas thinks Keir Starmer can win the next election, clearly John Swinney thinks if the Supreme Court doesn’t go his way then the SNP can win a de-facto referendum.”
The political panel show saw Ross joined by Deputy First Minister John Swinney, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, musician Stuart Murdoch and political journalist Isabel Hardman.
The Scottish Tory leader said Truss has not had the start to her leadership she “was looking for”, but he thinks it is “right that the Prime Minister and the Chancellor have reflected on that”.
He said: “One of the big issues (was) that there clearly wasn’t any support in the markets, and we saw the impact that had was on the 45p tax rate, and I think it was right last week that that was reversed.
“But I think it’s also right that we look at the positive impacts of the growth plan, which was to help people with heating bills. Before that was announced, people were facing bills of £5000 to £6000 a year. It’s now capped at £2500. I know that’s still very high – too much for a lot of people.
“But it’s the help that the Government have put in there that is important to families, to businesses, to communities right across Scotland and the whole UK, and I think that’s vital.”
