London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross withdraws call for Boris Johnson to quit

Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross withdraws call for Boris Johnson to quit

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross has withdrawn his call for Boris Johnson to resign as prime minister.

Mr Ross had written to the party's 1922 committee in a bid to trigger a leadership contest amid the row over Downing Street parties during lockdown.

However he said this should now be "put on pause while there is war in Europe".

Mr Ross - who is both an MP and MSP - has withdrawn his letter, saying it was essential to fully support the UK government's efforts over Ukraine.

It was confirmed earlier on Thursday that Mr Johnson will attend the Scottish Conservative conference, which is being held in Aberdeen on 18 and 19 March.

The party said it would welcome the prime minister in person to give a speech about the war in Ukraine.


Mr Ross called for the prime minister's resignation in January, saying Mr Johnson's position was "no longer tenable" after he admitted attending a Downing Street party during the Covid-19 lockdown.,

He was later dismissed as being "quite a lightweight figure" by Jacob Rees-Mogg, the leader of the House of Commons.

Mr Johnson had said he thought the May 2020 gathering was "technically within the rules", and that he had "believed implicitly that it was a work event".

However he is under investigation by the Metropolitan Police, and submitted a questionnaire about his involvement to officers - which has the same status as information given as an interview under caution.

Mr Ross was backed in his position by almost all of the party's MSPs, and doubled down later in January by saying he would not be changing his mind.

However he has now said that "the middle of an international crisis is not the time to be discussing resignations".

He added: "There will be a time and place to debate partygate but, as even Keir Starmer said at the weekend, we should put that on pause while there is war in Europe.

"It's essential that we all fully support what the UK Government is doing. In light of Russia's appalling actions, the government and Prime Minister need our backing, and they have mine and the whole Scottish Conservative party."

Other parties were critical of the move, with Labour leader Anas Sarwar saying Mr Ross "should not be using the Ukraine crisis to go back on his principles" and Lib Dem MSP Willie Rennie saying the Tory leader had "the backbone of a jellyfish".

And SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford - who had earlier denied rumours he was thinking of quitting his own post - said it was "an utterly humiliating u-turn for Douglas Ross".

He said Mr Ross had "ended up catastrophically undermining his own position" and was "no doubt on borrowed time".

It was earlier confirmed that Mr Johnson will attend the Scottish Tory conference later in March.

There is another Conservative conference in Blackpool on the same dates, which meant it was thought Mr Johnson would appear in Aberdeen via a video link or in a pre-recorded message.

However the party said it would be welcoming him "in person to speak about the war in Ukraine".

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×