THERE is no way for Scottish Tory MSPs to oust Douglas Ross, it has been revealed.
The Daily Record reported that the only way for the party leader to be forced from his position would be for a large number of members to vote him out.
It would take 1000 party members requesting an election in writing to initiate a leadership battle.
But a party source told the newspaper that is not “doable”. They said it is “virtually impossible to remove a leader”.
In the UK Parliament, 15% of Tory MPs can force a confidence vote in their leader. But there is no such rule north of the Border.
This would make it difficult, if impossible, for Tory MSPs to fire Ross.
One MSP said: “Douglas is like a cornered animal - nowhere to go given the recent Westminster polls - and not enjoying Holyrood.”
Another MSP said Ross would be “gone” if there was a vote between Conservative MSPs.
The Moray MP and MSP for the Highlands and Islands region has responded to reports of plots to oust him by saying that he would toast the new year with a whisky if he made it until then.
Ross has seen criticism over his flip-flopping position on whether Boris Johnson should have resigned as prime minister when he was in office.
The party leader has also been attacked for supporting Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng’s mini-budget, which led to economic turmoil.
At the time, he encouraged the Scottish Government to replicate the trickle-down tax cuts.
Labour MSP Neil Bibby said, “no would forget Douglas Ross cheered Truss on while she sowed chaos”.
SNP MSP Paul McLennan said changing leader would make no difference to the fortunes of the Tory party in Scotland.
He said: “After their constant denial of the democratic choice of the people of this country, the Holyrood Tories whining that they have no democratic route to achieve their political goal is so outrageous it’s an affront to decency.
“While Douglas Ross has been lamentable, with more flip-flops than a Spanish beach, changing leader will make no difference to the fortunes of the Tories in Scotland.
“The cast list of chancers, blowhards and ne’er-do-wells waiting in the wings offer nothing better than the hapless leader they are jostling to replace and only independence offers Scotland the opportunity to be rid of the Tories for good.”
A Scottish Tory spokesperson said: “Douglas is totally focused on holding the SNP Government to account.”
