Douglas Ross says Boris Johnson should stay on as prime minister despite the Met Police confirming he has been fined for lockdown parties in Downing Street.
The Met Police announced 30 more fines are being issued for parties held during the coronavirus lockdown in Downing Street and Whitehall.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson’s wife Carrie Johnson are all among those being fined.
Number 10 has since confirmed Boris Johnson’s fine relates to a party held on 19 June 2020, which is his birthday.
However, Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross has backed the prime minister, saying it would not be right to oust Mr Johnson while the war in Ukraine is still ongoing.
Douglas Ross supports the PM
Mr Ross had previously submitted a letter of no confidence in the prime minister, but withdrew this letter when war broke out in Ukraine.
Mr Ross said: “The public are rightly furious at what happened in Downing Street during the pandemic.
“I understand why they are angry and share their fury.
“The behaviour was unacceptable.
“The prime minister now needs to respond to these fines being issued.
“However, as I’ve made very clear, in the middle of war in Europe, when Vladimir Putin is committing war crimes and the UK is Ukraine’s biggest ally, as President Zelensky said at the weekend, it wouldn’t be right to remove the prime minister at this time.
“It would destabilise the UK Government when we need to be united in the face of Russian aggression and the murdering of innocent Ukrainians.”
Ruth Davidson: ‘He should go’
Despite Douglas Ross continuing to support the prime minister, former Scottish Conservative leader turned House of Lords peer Ruth Davidson has once again called for Boris Johnson to resign.
She said: “[The] Met confirms what we already knew: the prime minister introduced liberty curtailing rules for public health reasons.
Met confirms what we already knew: the PM introduced liberty-curtailing rules for public health reasons. This caused huge hardship for those separated from ill or dying loved ones. He then broke the rules he imposed on the country & lost the moral authority to lead. He should go.
— Ruth Davidson (@RuthDavidsonPC) April 12, 2022
“This caused huge hardship for those separated from ill or dying loved one.
“He then broke the rules he imposed on the country and lost the moral authority to lead.
“He should go.”
Douglas Ross faces criticism
Since Douglas Ross put out his statement defending the prime minister, opposition politicians have called his actions “shameful” and “simply shocking”.
Jackie Baillie, deputy leader of Scottish Labour, said: “This is a shameful attempt by Douglas Ross to hide his lack of principle behind the ongoing tragedy in Ukraine.
“That Douglas Ross does not have the spine to condemn Boris Johnson’s actions and demand his removal from office is simply shocking.
“Even Ruth Davidson – who is currently being wheeled out by Scottish Tory spin doctors to save them from electoral oblivion – has said that Boris Johnson must go.
“No one is above the law and it is simply unacceptable to use the human tragedy in Ukraine to shield the prime minister.
“Douglas Ross should hang his head in shame.”
PMs ousted during wartime
British prime ministers have in the past been forced out of the top spot during wartime.
Liberal Prime Minister HH Asquith fell in 1916 during the First World War and was replaced by David Lloyd George.
One of the most famous examples is when Neville Chamberlain was forced to step down as prime minister during the Second World War in 1940 – he was then replaced by Winston Churchill.
And more recently Margaret Thatcher resigned as prime minister in 1990 during the Gulf War.
Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak to both be fined over partygate scandal