London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Oct 26, 2026

PM vote: Scottish Secretary says time to move on

PM vote: Scottish Secretary says time to move on

The Scottish Secretary has said it is "time to get on with what really matters" after Boris Johnson won a confidence vote.

Conservative MPs have voted in favour of Boris Johnson remaining as their leader by 211 to 148 in the party poll on Monday.

Shortly after the result, Alister Jack said it was time to "put this behind us".

Four out of Scotland's six Tory MPs voted against the prime minister.

Mr Jack, the MP for Dumfries and Galloway, said: "As I have been clear throughout, the prime minister has my full support. I voted for him tonight, and I am very pleased that he has received the backing of a clear majority of the parliamentary party.

"We now need to put this behind us, and get on with what really matters - tackling the very real major challenges we face both at home and abroad."

Boris Johnson on Monday


Boris Johnson insisted that winning the support of 59% of Tory MPs was an "extremely good" result despite a worse performance than Theresa May in the confidence vote.

"I think it's an extremely good, positive, conclusive, decisive result which enables us to move on, to unite and to focus on delivery and that is exactly what we are going to do," he told reporters in Downing Street.

He ruled out a snap election in order to gain a new mandate from the public, insisting he was focused on the public's priorities.

Mr Johnson said: "I see no point in focusing on anything else and I'm certainly not interested in snap elections. What I'm interested in is delivering right now for the people of this country."

Scottish leader of the Conservatives, Douglas Ross, earlier revealed he would vote against the PM.

"Having listened closely to people in Moray who re-elected me to represent them, and from many people across Scotland, now that this confidence vote is upon us, I cannot in good faith support Boris Johnson," he said.

"My vote tonight will support the motion of no confidence."

The SNP said the result meant Mr Ross' position was not tenable.


'I am stunned'


SNP Westminster Leader Ian Blackford MP told the BBC News channel: "I'm stunned. It's a big thing for anyone to vote against a sitting prime minister. This shows the scale of the rebellion.

"Tonight the prime minister has the support of only one third of the House of Commons. He is a minority prime minister.

"For Boris, this should be over," he said.

"This is a man who doesn't have the support of this parliament... he needs to recognise that with his behaviour, he's demeaned the office of prime minister," he said, adding that "there's a privileges investigation to come".

And he believes Douglas Ross' position is untenable.

"If he had any principles or dignity he should quit as Scottish Tory leader. He has made himself look utterly ridiculous by flip-flopping over Boris Johnson's future and will have no authority or credibility if he tries to cling on."


Responding to the confidence vote, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: "That result is surely the worst of all worlds for the Tories.

"But much more importantly: at a time of huge challenge, it saddles the UK with an utterly lame duck PM.

"And for Scotland, it just underlines the democratic deficit - only 2 of (Scotland's) 59 MPs have confidence in the PM."

Shortly after the result was announced, the last Scottish Tory MP declared his position.

MP David Duguid released a message of support for the prime minister after the vote was announced


David Duguid, Conservative MP for Banff and Buchan, backed the prime minister.

"Since this situation arose, I've repeatedly expressed my concerns at the behaviour and culture that was reported at Downing Street and the Cabinet Office," he said.

"It's absolutely right that there was an investigation carried out and Sue Gray's final report has acknowledged changes have already been made.

"Nothing that's happened in the last 24 hours has changed my opinion on whether or not the prime minister needs to resign, so tonight I voted against the motion of no confidence.

"With our recovery from the pandemic and the global inflation pressures that have yet to hit us fully, I believe this is in the best interests of the country."

Scottish Labour MP Ian Murray told BBC Scotland: "With 41% against, it is worse than Margaret Thatcher did when she resigned, it's worse than John Major when he lost the landslide election in 1997, worse than Theresa May and she resigned, so he has just delivered the worst possible result in any confidence vote of any Conservative leader in history and doesn't look as if he is going to resign so that tells you everything you need to know.

"There is no doubt this Conservative party is a disaster for the union and Douglas Ross has done so many U-turns on this he has humiliated himself."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Consumer Confidence Tumbles Amid Rising Energy Costs and Global Commodity Price Pressures
North Sea Transition Authority Approves Production from Jackdaw Gas Field to Bolster Domestic Energy Security
Storm Boelo Leaves Tens of Thousands of Households Without Power Across Scotland and Northern Ireland
UK Government Launches National Be Ready Campaign Urging Households to Prepare Three Days of Emergency Supplies
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs Implements Stricter Water Quality Regulations for British Rivers
Welsh Government Launches Major Renewable Energy Initiative to Expand Offshore Wind Capacity Along the Coast
Northern Ireland Executive Reaches Final Agreement on Comprehensive Regional Infrastructure Modernization Plan
Office for National Statistics Reports Moderate Increase in British Retail Sales Driven by Autumn Discounts
Scottish First Minister Announces Emergency Housing Strategy to Tackle Severe Homelessness Across Urban Centers
Automotive Industry Leaders in the United Kingdom Urge Government Support for Electric Vehicle Manufacturing Transition
United Kingdom and European Union Initiate High-Level Negotiations on Post-Brexit Defense and Security Pact
National Health Service England Introduces Sweeping Digital Reforms to Reduce Hospital Waiting Lists Nationwide
Chancellor of the Exchequer Outlines Emergency Fiscal Measures to Address Local Government Funding Crises Across England
Bank of England Governor Warns of Persistent Inflation Pressures Impacting Interest Rate Decisions in the United Kingdom
UK Conservative Party Suspends Former Electoral Candidate Following Undercover Investigation
Actors and Writers Condemn British Anti Terror Legislation Targeting Activist Groups and Free Speech
Central Bank and Treasury Monitor Inflation Risks as International Monetary Fund Upgrades United Kingdom Growth Forecast
Storm Boelo Batters British Isles With Eighty Mile Per Hour Winds Causing Widespread Power Outages
British Intelligence Services and Technology Firms Partner to Counter Artificial Intelligence Enabled Cybersecurity Threats
UK Consumer Confidence Falls at Fastest Rate Since Brexit Vote as Cost of Living Intensifies
Chancellor John Healey Prepares Landmark Autumn Budget Focused on Devolution and Fiscal Rules
Northern Ireland Executive Ministers Reach Consensus on Shared Economic Development Priorities to Stimulate Regional Growth in Belfast
Department for Business and Trade Finalizes Conditional Support Package for Advanced Semiconductor Fabrication Facilities in Newport
Welsh Government Unveils Regional Industrial Development Strategy to Attract Green Energy Investment to South Wales Manufacturing Hubs
Foreign Secretary David Lammy Concludes Diplomatic Mission to European Capital Cities to Strengthen Post-Brexit Defense Cooperation
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Implements Stricter Regulatory Compliance Standards for Water Utilities Across England
Office for National Statistics Reports Moderate Wage Growth Stabilization and Resilient Employment Figures Across the United Kingdom
Scottish Government and Trade Union Representatives Reach Tentative Pay Agreement for Public Sector Transport Workers in Edinburgh
National Health Service England Announces Emergency Capital Funding Allocation to Reduce Winter Emergency Department Bottlenecks
Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee Signals Cautious Approach to Interest Rate Reductions Amid Persistent Inflation Pressures
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Treasury Officials Finalize Urgent Fiscal Adjustments Ahead of Upcoming National Budget
Tour de France Organizers Confirm Historic Grand Depart Featuring Edinburgh and Yorkshire Stages
National Cyber Security Centre Issues Urgent Alerts Following Global Security Vulnerability in Core Programming Software
Independent Energy Analysts Warn Great Britain Faces Highest Winter Power Tariffs in Europe
Major British Defense Contractors Commit to Delivering Forty Thousand New Apprenticeships and Training Placements
New Bradford Railway Station Infrastructure Project Approved to Transform Regional Transit Connectivity Across Northern England
Welsh Infrastructure Stakeholders Press Government for Accelerated Local Sourcing in Military and Uniform Manufacturing
Scottish Council Governance Crisis Triggers High-Court Legal Challenge Over Leadership Ouster Bid
High Street Bakery Chain Greggs Announces Major Factory Closures and Seven Hundred Job Cuts
Automotive Manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover Advances Advanced Defense Technology Partnership with European Allies
Treasury and Bank of England Officials Signal Persistent Concern Over Inflation-Driven Interest Rate Path
International Monetary Fund Upgrades United Kingdom Growth Forecast While Issuing Inflation Warnings
National Health Service Leaders Warn of Severe Capacity Pressures as Early Winter Respiratory Infections Surge
Government Issues Emergency Resilience Guidance Advising All British Citizens to Stockpile Essential Supplies
United Kingdom Private Sector Growth Beats Expectations in October Driven by Resilient Services and Manufacturing
Barclays to Cut Five Thousand Jobs in Major Artificial Intelligence Adoption and Cost-Cutting Overhaul
Piper Tomahawk Aircraft Crash Near Drymen in Stirling Claims Two Lives as Investigators Deploy
North Sea Transition Authority Approves Jackdaw Gas Field Production After Ministerial Authorization
Government Injects One Hundred and Forty Million Pounds to Expand Urgent Care Ahead of Winter Crisis
Department of Health Warns Further Pay Rises Will Derail National Health Service Waiting List Targets
×