Douglas Ross has been mocked for saying he thinks Liz Truss can win the next General Election despite her disastrous start to her premiership.
The Scottish Conservative leader was laughed at during an appearance on the BBC 's Question Time programme on Thursday evening after he was asked by a member of the audience if he believed the Prime Minister could reverse the turmoil and beat Keir Starmer.
Truss is facing calls from all sides of her party to reverse parts of her unfunded mini-budget that has caused chaos on the economic markets.
Ross appeared on Question Time alongside Deputy First Minister John Swinney, Labour leader Anas Sarwar, journalist Isabel Hardman and Belle and Sebastian frontman Stuart Murdoch.
The audience member asked Ross: "Do you think Liz Truss will win the next General Election?"
Ross answered: "Yes". Audience members in Musselburgh burst into laughter after the Moray MP answered the question.
He added: "I want the Conservatives to win every election." Presenter Fiona Bruce interrupts: "You're saying that with quite a smile on your face."
Ross replied: "I can just imagine what you'd say if I said no there Fiona, but I want the conservatives to win every election. Look, we're a long way out from the next election. The opinion polls just now are very difficult for the party.
"I think we can get the economy back up and running again. I think we can help people, clearly Anas thinks Starmer can win the next election. Clearly John Swinney thinks that if the Supreme Court doesn't go his way then the SNP can win a de facto referendum.
"That's why every party wants their party to win, but at the moment, to me, that's a secondary issue. The big issue right now is helping people, people in this room, people across the country, businesses and communities that are struggling."
The audience member says: "You've got wonderful optimism." While, Sarwar said: "You should VAR that decision."
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