We asked every Conservative MSP and MP in Scotland to answer a simple question our readers have been asking.
Do you think Boris Johnson should resign as Prime Minister, yes or no?
We gave them 24 hours to think about it – and just six responded, while 28 did not.
The results are set out below.
It follows the Sue Gray report, published last week, which criticised the culture and leadership in Downing Street.
On June 6, it was confirmed the Prime Minister will face a confidence vote.
Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the Tory backbench 1922 Committee, confirmed he had received the 54 letters from MPs needed to trigger the ballot.
The vote – by secret ballot – will take place at Westminster on Monday between 6pm and 8pm, with the count to take place immediately afterwards.
Douglas Ross, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, is now under greater pressure to call for the prime minister to resign.
He did make that demand in January – but then he changed his mind.
Speaking last week, Mr Ross said Mr Johnson should stand down – but only when the war in Ukraine is over.
The public just want straight answers, so we put the question to every Scottish Conservative at Holyrood and Westminster.
MSPs who replied saying Boris Johnson should resign:
- Douglas Lumsden (North-East).
- Edward Mountain (Highland and Islands).
- Liz Smith (Mid-Scotland and Fife).
- Brian Whittle (South Scotland).
MSPs who said Mr Johnson should “consider his position”:
- Alexander Stewart (Mid-Scotland and Fife).
MSPs who don’t think he should resign just now:
- Douglas Ross (Highlands and Islands).
MSPs who failed to respond:
- Jeremy Balfour (Lothian).
- Miles Briggs (Lothian).
- Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West).
- Donald Cameron (Highlands and Islands).
- Jackson Carlaw (Eastwood).
- Finlay Carson (Galloway and West Dumfries).
- Sharon Dowey (South Scotland).
- Russell Findlay (West Scotland).
- Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife).
- Meghan Gallacher (Central Scotland).
- Maurice Golden (North East).
- Pam Gosal (West Scotland).
- Jamie Greene (West Scotland).
- Sandesh Gulhane (Glasgow).
- Jamie Halcro Johnston (Glasgow).
- Rachael Hamilton (South Scotland).
- Liam Kerr (North East).
- Stephen Kerr (Central Scotland).
- Dean Lockhart (Mid Scotland and Fife)
- Oliver Mundell (Dumfriesshire).
- Graham Simpson (Central Scotland).
- Sue Webber (Lothian).
- Annie Wells (Glasgow).
- Tess White (North East).
MPs who failed to respond:
- Andrew Bowie (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine).
- David Duguid (Banff and Buchan).
- John Lamont (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)
- David Mundell (Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweedale).
MPs who support Boris Johnson:
- Alister Jack (Dumfries and Galloway).
Mr Ross’s position on the prime minister staying until after war ends in Ukraine was already known.
We asked the Scottish Conservatives about the number of MSPs and MPs who failed to respond to our question on the prime minister’s future.
In response, a party spokesman offered this statement: “We are focused on the cost of living crisis and holding the SNP to account.”
Scottish Secretary Alister Jack, Conservative MP for Dumfries and Galloway, says the prime minister has his “full support” as he tackles the cost of living crisis and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
In May, he said: “Lessons have been learned and changes have been made within No 10.”
Andrew Bowie, West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine MP, declined to give a direct answer on whether Mr Johnson should resign.
But in a statement issued on Thursday, he said he was “utterly appalled by the events that were confirmed to have taken place in the Sue Gray report”.
He added that the prime minister “must bear ultimate responsibility” for the events which “happened on his watch”.
A handful of Scottish MSPs have broken party ranks and called on the prime minister to go.
These include Brian Whittle, Douglas Lumsden, Liz Smith and Edward Mountain.
Others including Maurice Golden did not respond to our request for comment but previously said he believes Mr Johnson should step down.
Oliver Mundell – who did not respond to our question – told ITV Border that he was “keen to see the prime minister continue in office at the moment”.
‘Scottish Tories have gone into hiding’
SNP MP Mhairi Black said the party is in hiding over partygate.
“The silence from the spineless Scottish Tories over the repeated law-breaking by Boris Johnson is deafening,” she said.
“Rather than doing the right thing and calling on the rule-breaking prime minister to resign following the Sue Gray report, the Scottish Tories have gone into hiding.
“By keeping quiet, they are showing the people of Scotland that they think Boris Johnson’s misconduct is acceptable and that they believe it’s one rule for them, and another for the rest of us.”
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