Boris Johnson praises 'excellent leadership' of Douglas Ross after Prime Minister resignation demand withdrawn

Boris Johnson has praised Douglas Ross’s “excellent leadership” just days after the Scottish Conservative leader withdrew his official demand for the Prime Minister’s resignation.

The Moray MP was mocked by opponents and labelled spineless last week after he withdrew his letter to the Conservative backbench 1922 Committee stating he had no confidence in the leadership of the Prime Minister.

Mr Ross had repeatedly called for Mr Johnson’s resignation following the Partygate revelations, insisting his position as Prime Minister was “no longer tenable”.

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Douglas Ross' position as Scottish Tory leader has been described as "untenable" by the SNPDouglas Ross' position as Scottish Tory leader has been described as "untenable" by the SNP
Douglas Ross' position as Scottish Tory leader has been described as "untenable" by the SNP
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Now Mr Johnson has praised the Scottish Tory leader’s “excellent leadership” and lauded the party “sticking together” during the pandemic in his written message to members in the brochure for the party’s conference.

In the foreword, the Prime Minister states: “This will be the first party conference held since the Scottish elections last May at which, under Douglas Ross’s excellent leadership, you defied the critics by retaining 31 seats in the Scottish Parliament and cemented your position as Scotland’s second biggest party.”

He added: “I am proud of what we have achieved together, and I believe that – by standing together and sticking together – we can and will deliver so much more.”

Almost every MSP within the Scottish Conservatives had backed Mr Ross’s call for the Prime Minister’s resignation.

Mr Ross’s message to his members does not mention Mr Johnson.

It comes as the SNP labelled the Scottish Tory leader’s position “untenable”, with MSP Rona Mackay stating Mr Ross should “resign immediately” and called the Prime Minister “unfit for office” after the Partygate scandal.

She said: “Douglas Ross’s position as Scottish Tory leader is completely untenable. Not only has he led the country on a wild ride, but he has also marched his Holyrood colleagues up the hill and left them high and dry as he withdraws his letter weeks after submitting it.

“No one, not even his own party, can believe a word he says now as he has shredded any integrity he had left by performing this screeching U-turn. He should resign immediately as the party leader before he embarrasses himself anymore."

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A spokesman for the Scottish Conservatives said: “We're in the middle of an international crisis. The SNP might not have noticed, but there is a major war in Europe for the first time in decades.

“Removing the Prime Minister right now would only benefit Vladimir Putin. It's reckless of the SNP to try and destabilise the United Kingdom when Russia is bombing maternity wards in Ukraine.”

Want to hear more from The Scotsman's politics team? Check out the latest episode of our political podcast, The Steamie.

It's available wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

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