Monklands’ MPs have reacted to Boris Johnston’s resignation – saying he “disgraced the office and himself” and that his exit from Downing Street “cannot come soon enough”.
The Prime Minister announced today that he is stepping down as Conservative party leader, and that he intends to remain in office until a successor is chosen, in a process currently set to take nearly three months.
Constituency representatives Steven Bonnar and Anum Qaisar welcomed the news that Mr Johnson is standing down after nearly three years but said his continued period in office is “not sustainable”.
Steven Bonnar, the MP for Coatbridge, Chryston & Bellshill, told Lanarkshire Live: “The Prime Minister disgraced the office he held and himself.
“He was always unfit for the role of Prime Minister and yet the Tories elevated him to that office based on the lies of the Brexit campaign and promises printed on the side of a bus.
“I am glad he is going, but it doesn’t matter what Tory stands at the dispatch box next; they will never have the interests of Scotland in their list of priorities.
“We knew what we were getting with Boris Johnson; the only real surprise was just how disgraceful his tenure has been.
“He personifies all that is wrong with Westminster: entitled elitists thinking that they are above the rest of us, and that the rule of law does not apply to their goings-on.
“To remain in post will only serve to continue the current paralysis affecting government and is not in the interests of the people, so this action would not be all that surprising on the face of it.”
SNP colleague and constituency neighbour Ms Qaisar, who represents Airdrie & Shotts, said: “The resignation of the Prime Minister is welcome and cannot come soon enough.
“The very fact that a Prime Minister like Boris Johnson managed to get elected in the first place reflects how the Westminster system is broken and not working for the people of Scotland.
“He has signalled that he wishes to stay as a caretaker Prime Minister – this is not sustainable.”
She added: “Whoever replaces him will preside over a Conservative government that will continue to push an agenda that imposes damaging policies like Brexit and austerity upon Scotland.
“It is clear from the events of the last few months that the damaging Westminster system is broken and corrupt to its core.
“Whichever Tory MP takes over from Boris Johnson must respect the democratic mandate that Scotland has to hold an independence referendum and allow Scotland to escape Westminster’s control for good.”
Both of the Lanarkshire MPs had tackled Mr Johnson in the House of Commons in January, telling him directly at Prime Minister’s Questions that he should resign after he admitted involvement in the lockdown-breaking Partygate “work events” for which he later received a police fine.
Mr Bonnar criticised the then-latest “scandal for this Prime Minister and his utterly shameless government”, calling him “morally distant” and later adding: “My constituents in Coatbridge, Chryston & Bellshill, and indeed the rest of this nation, have been treated with utter contempt”.
Describing her constituents as “rightly furious” about “the ultimate betrayal”, Ms Qaisar had said then: “The Prime Minister has demonstrated he is completely unfit for public office and has lost all credibility.”
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