A Renfrewshire politician has reacted with fury over the news that Scotland’s Secretary of State is supporting Boris Johnson’s bid to “limp on” until the autumn.
Johnson fell on his sword yesterday after being forced out when more than 50 members of his cabinet threw in the towel in a bid to oust him.
He quit, telling the nation: “Them’s the breaks”, as he announced he would leave “the best job in the world”.
But Scottish Secretary Alister Jack, along with Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries, have remained loyal to the ousted PM throughout.
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Both Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis and Welsh Secretary Simon Hart quit their posts amid the plan to force Johnson out, but Mr Jack remained.
Now the SNP’s Deputy Westminster Leader, Kirsten Oswald has hit out at Mr Jack, who backed the PM, saying he could even be seen applauding the Prime Minister at he announced his resignation outside 10 Downing Street yesterday, before releasing a statement thanking Mr Johnson for his work as Prime Minister.
East Renfrewshire MP Kirsten said: “It is shocking that despite Alister Jack being the only Scottish MP with any confidence in the Prime Minister he is supporting Boris Johnson’s bid to stay in power, possibly until October.
“Boris Johnson has no mandate from Scotland, yet as he limps on as a caretaker Prime Minister, Alister Jack is planning to give him legitimacy by remaining in his government.
“As the Secretary of State for Scotland, Alister Jack has overseen a department that has worked with Boris Johnson to dismantle the devolution settlement and return power to Westminster.
“By continuing to serve in this shambolic government, he tries to give the impression that Boris Johnson has the support of the people of Scotland. He doesn’t.”
She added: “This shameless episode is happening during a cost-of-living crisis when people deserve a government focused on helping them, not protecting themselves. The Westminster system is broken and the people of Scotland can do so much better by taking control into their own hands.”
The outgoing Johnson looks set to remain in office until the autumn - as rumours abound that he and wife Carrie want to stage a July 30 bash at the Prime Minister’s grace and favour country retreat to mark their wedding last year.
Mr Johnson cited “devotion to duty” as the reason he is looking to stay in office until his party select a new leader, but Tory critics say the real reason is so he can stage the party at Chequers.
But Mr Jack defended the Prime Minister, saying: “In my dealings with him I have always found him to be straight down the line.
“He has apologised for Chris Pincher, and I just think in life and business when you deal with people and they play you with a straight bat, then you can get on and do business with them.
“You have to take people as you find them not as you hear speculation about them or read people’s opinions about them. I think that’s only fair.”
He also said media coverage of the Partygate scandal - which revealed a string of bashes in Downing Street as the rest of the nation was under a Coronavirus lockdown - was not an accurate reflection of events and told journalists: “He was mugged, as was Rishi [Sunak], by a birthday cake they didn’t see coming as they sat in the Cabinet Office waiting for a meeting.
“They didn’t attend a party, a party arrived and copped them out. The Metropolitan Police saw the word party after birthday and gave the both of them a FPN [fixed penalty notice].
“He did get a fine because the word party comes after birthday.”
Previous Prime Ministers have remained in office until a new leader can be appointed.
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