One of the few Scots in Boris Johnson’s government quit his post to join the majority of Conservative MPs from north of the border who voted against the prime minister in Monday’s confidence vote.
John Lamont stood down as parliamentary private secretary in the Foreign Office, saying that he had received thousands of messages from constituents who were “rightly deeply angered” by lockdown-breaching parties in Downing Street.
At least four of the six Scottish Conservatives in the House of Commons voted to remove Mr Johnson, including Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross and former Scotland secretary David Mundell.
Their decision leaves current Scotland secretary Alister Jack almost isolated in his support for the PM and reflects the collapse in confidence in Mr Johnson’s leadership north of the border, where Tories have slumped behind Labour into third place in recent polls.
Mr Johnson has long been unpopular among Scottish Conservatives, some of whom launched a campaign codenamed Operation Arse to seek his defeat in the 2019 leadership battle.
Mr Ross was joined by the bulk of the party’s MSPs in calling for the prime minister’s resignation in January, only to withdraw his demand following the outbreak of war in Ukraine.
Today he said that he had “heard loud and clear the anger over the breaking of Covid rules” and could not “in good faith” support the PM remaining in office.
Mr Mundell, who served in the cabinets of David Cameron and Theresa May from 2015-19 but was sacked when Mr Johnson came to office, said: “After a difficult couple of years and listening to the views of my constituents, I voted tonight for a fresh start and new leadership for our country.”
And West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine MP Andrew Bowie said: “Tonight, and with a heavy heart, I have taken the extremely tough decision to vote against the prime minister.
“I have not taken the decision lightly, at all, but after listening to my constituents, they remain understandably angry and upset at what has happened. This was the only choice for the good of the country.”
