SCOTTISH Tories have dodged questions over whether Boris Johnson should resign as Prime Minister.
Several Conservative MSPs refused to answer questions about how their leader Douglas Ross should respond to new bombshell evidence which suggests Johnson lied to parliament about parties in the corridors of power during lockdown.
The SNP have called on Ross to resubmit his letter of no confidence but senior figures in the Scottish branch avoided giving views when asked in Holyrood on Tuesday.
NEW: Scottish Conservative chief whip won't say whether Douglas Ross should resubmit letter of no confidence in Boris Johnson.@RealStephenKerr says 'that's a matter for Douglas'. He says he's 'disappointed and angry' about #partygate photos showing PM raising a glass pic.twitter.com/EinE1NJpdg
— Representing Border (@ITVBorderRB) May 24, 2022
ITV Border’s political show Representing Border asked MSPs such as Tory chief whip Stephen Kerr and the party’s deputy leader what action Ross should take.
Photographs were published by ITV News yesterday which showed Johnson attending a boozy party in Westminster on November 13, 2020 – at a time when the UK was in strict lockdown.
Kerr, Ross’ chief enforcer in Holyrood, told the channel the photographs were “disappointing”.
He said: “I think Douglas has said how we all feel, which is disappointed and angry.”
But when asked if Ross should resubmit his no-confidence letter, Kerr said: “That’s a matter for Douglas, I’m sure you’ll ask him.”
Meghan Gallacher, the party’s deputy leader in Holyrood, dodged questioning entirely.
Asked the same question, she responded: “Sorry, I’ve got business in the chamber, thank you.”
Shadow social justice secretary Miles Briggs stuck to the party line, describing the pictures – which showed Johnson making a toast – as “disappointing” but did not answer when asked about his boss’ next moves.
Tory justice spokesman Russell Findlay made no comment as he rushed past the TV cameras.
Backbencher Alexander Stewart said: “Still disappointed, dismayed and disgusted and I haven’t changed my views, that’s my views at the very start of this process and still believe that.”
But he walked off as the reported asked whether Ross should renew his calls for the Prime Minister to step down.
Johnson is facing renewed pressure to resign after the photographs were published.
He had specifically denied attending a party on the date the pictures were taken – leading to accusations he had lied to parliament over widespread lawbreaking in Downing Street during the pandemic.
The Metropolitan Police – who handed out 126 fines to 83 people over the course of their Partygate probe – is also facing questions over whether the force properly investigated Westminster lawbreaking.
The National has approached the Scottish Conservatives for confirmation of whether Ross will resubmit his letter.
Ross withdrew his calls for the Prime Minister to resign following the invasion of Ukraine earlier this year.
