Boris Johnson’s only remaining Scottish Tory ally has said he his sorry to see his “friend” leave Downing Street.
Scottish Secretary Alister Jack MP also claimed that support for Scottish independence had “stagnated” under Johnson who steadfastly refused powers to stage a second referendum.
Jack has said he will not publicly back any of the candidates in the leadership race to replace the current Prime Minister.
READ MORE: When is the next Conservative leaders debate?
But he said that the next Prime Minister should ensure the UK Government’s work in Scotland should be “nurtured and accelerated”
Writing in Scotland on Sunday, he said: “Despite the SNP’s attempts to cast Boris as a Conservative bogeyman, support for independence has stagnated while he’s been in Number 10,”
“Perhaps that’s because we have been quietly making the case for the Union every day through the UK Government’s determination to help Scotland flourish.”
“In public, it may suit the SNP’s separatist agenda to stoke up the divisive rhetoric. But behind the scenes the UK and Scottish Governments are working constructively.”
The Scottish Secretary said he will speak to all of the Tory leadership contenders about their approach to Scottish issues, accusing First Minister Nicola Sturgeon of being “wrapped in grievance”.
He added: “I’m not going to publicly back any of the leadership candidates, I will, however, have detailed discussions with all of them about their approach to Scotland, and how we continue to strengthen the Union.”
“My message to them is simple: The UK Government’s work in Scotland must be nurtured and accelerated.”
SNP MSP Joe FitzPatrick said: “Anyone who thinks Scotland wants more interference from a Tory government we haven’t voted for since the 1950s is as detached from reality as Boris Johnson himself."
“So it’s hardly surprising that Westminster’s man in Scotland – and Boris Johnson’s apologist-in-chief – wants to deny Scotland’s democratic right to choose, while undermining devolution itself by forcing more hated Tory policy on Scotland."
READ NEXT:
