THE Scottish Tories have been challenged to hold a vote of no confidence into their leader Douglas Ross after a series of U-turns on Boris Johnson left him without “any credibility at all”, according to the SNP.
Back in January Ross wanted Johnson to resign over lockdown-breaching parties in Downing Street. He later changed his mind, arguing that the situation in Ukraine took precedence.
The Moray MP even took to the media to conjure up images of “shallow graves of innocent men, women and children” in his defence of the Prime Minister.
But weeks later, as momentum grew among Tory rebels and after Sir Graham Brady confirmed a no-confidence vote had been triggered, Ross finally said he’d be voting to remove the Conservative leader.
On Monday night he and fellow Tory MPs Andrew Bowie, John Lamont and David Mundell said they had no confidence in Johnson – leaving their remaining colleagues Alister Jack (above) and David Duguid as the only two Scottish Tories to back him.
Ross's decision to vote against the Prime Minister came despite claims the previous week that any attempt to remove him would "only help Vladimir Putin".
Asked if his vote had therefore helped Putin, Ross told the BBC: “I didn't want to trigger this vote at this time, but 15% or more of my colleagues did, and therefore a vote was going to happen and I couldn't in good faith [back Johnson].
"Having looked at everything that has happened during the lockdown in Downing Street, in the Cabinet Office and other parts of Whitehall, which the Prime Minister oversees.
"And also responding to my constituents, people in Moray and across Scotland. They have been very vocal.”
After Ross’s U-turning – including a brief spell where he suggested Johnson could resign if the war in Ukraine ended – and failure to speak up against his Westminster boss until hours before the all-important ballot, the SNP’s depute leader said Ross’s role was untenable.
Keith Brown mocked Scottish Tory chief whip Stephen Kerr for calling Ross’s position “consistent”.
“The one consistency with Douglas Ross has been his inconsistency,” Brown said. “In his fourth position on the issue this year, last night Douglas Ross finally decided - once again - that he has no confidence in the Prime Minister and his own party leader.
“So how can he continue to front up the branch office of the Tories, who are led from Westminster by Boris Johnson? If the Holyrood Tories had any backbone they would hold their own indicative vote of no confidence in his leadership.”
Brown pointed out that now just two of the six Scottish Tory MPs support the Prime Minister - who is also the self-proclaimed Minister for the Union.
“We are now in the ridiculous situation where the Cabinet member who is meant to represent Scotland doesn’t even represent the opinion of his own party in Scotland,” he said. “It just underlines the democratic deficit Scotland faces with Westminster control.”
Brown went on: “Douglas Ross can’t claim to represent the interests of the people of Scotland if he meekly accepts that status, but he could at least wake up to his own hypocrisy.
“Douglas Ross’s latest view on Boris Johnson is that he’s not fit to run the country. It would be impossible, therefore, to foresee a situation where Douglas Ross can continue to lead the Scottish Conservatives with any credibility at all."
Ross insisted on Tuesday that he had now reached his final position, and that he would not go back on his vote for Johnson to be removed from office.
The leader of the Scottish Conservatives further said Johnson must “reflect” on the number of MPs who said they could not support the Prime Minister in the confidence vote.
Douglas Ross told STV News: “I think the Prime Minister does have to reflect on such a significant number voting no confidence in him.”
Asked if Johnson should resign, Ross told the broadcaster: “Well, I think he has to look at that.”
He added: “That’s a decision for the Prime Minister but we know when Theresa May had a greater percentage number of MPs supporting her in 2018 when she faced a confidence vote, people were immediately saying it wasn’t good enough.
“Well, last night 41% of Conservative MPs felt that they couldn’t support the Prime Minister and that is a very high number. A hundred and forty eight is far higher than many people were expecting.”
