Douglas Ross 'very angry’ over Westminster party pictures while his own family unable to enjoy normal Christmas

Scottish Conservatives leader Douglas Ross has admitted he is “very angry” over the pictures of Westminster parties last December at a time when his own family – and others around the country – could not enjoy a normal Christmas.

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross.

He said that while he and his constituents were following guidance "to the letter of the law”, officials in Westminster were “laughing about parties” and trying to cover up that they had taken place.

Boris Johnson’s former press secretary Allegra Stratton was caught on camera laughing about a “fictional” party ahead of a press briefing last year, while last night, new photos emerged that appeared to show Mr Johnson hosting an online Christmas quiz, while huddled around a computer with two members of staff.

However, Mr Ross insisted that the Prime Minister was still the right person to lead the country.

Speaking on the BBC’s Sunday Show, he said: “There are questions that must be answered that need serious answers. And that's what I'm looking for, I’ve been calling for that all week. We need clarity. We need to be honest with the public about what happened and what has been said since then because the public are angry. I'm angry. My family didn't have the Christmas we expected last year - it looks like there is a possibility that we won't have the Christmas we expected this year - and the public rightly expect those at the top of government and their advisors to follow the rules that they themselves wrote.”

He added: “I'm angry with everyone. I mean, just look at these pictures. Look at people laughing about parties and how they were trying to cover it up. The whole thing does make me angry and it makes me angry who I represent here in Moray and across the Highlands and Islands followed that guidance to the letter of the law because we were told to do it in the national interest. And if the people telling them to do that couldn’t follow that guidance, then we are right to be angry at them.”

He said that questions still needed to be answered over the involvement of the Prime Minister in the individual parties.

He said: “I believe he is the right person to lead the country at a time with many difficult circumstances, when we are dealing with the new variant, but that doesn't dismiss my serious concerns.

He added: “He is the leader of the main party in the United Kingdom parliament and he is the prime minister who has been elected to lead the country. But that does not mean he or his officials are allowed to do whatever they want without any scrutiny. And that scrutiny will come from all sides including myself here in Scotland.”

Scottish Labour Leader Anas Sarwar said: “It is astonishing that Douglas Ross still claims Boris Johnson is the right person to lead the country. His outrage will ring hollow as long as he continues to back Boris - the man he fought to make Prime Minister. Boris’ Tories in Scotland are part of the problem. At this time of national crisis we need serious leadership.

“That’s why it’s not enough to just oppose the Tories - Labour are leading the fight to replace the Tories.”

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by Coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription.