A north-east Tory politician says he does not mind who becomes the next prime minister “as long as it’s not Boris Johnson”.
The former prime minister is being tipped as a leadership candidate to take over from Liz Truss less than two months after he left office.
Douglas Lumsden, who represents the north-east region at Holyrood, said it would be a “bad thing” for the party in Scotland if Mr Johnson returned to No 10.
The former prime minister has not yet announced plans to stand for leader, but is believed to have the backing of dozens of MPs.
Mr Johnson was hugely unpopular in Scotland and Scottish Tories will be concerned at such a prospect, when polls show they could fall behind Labour.
The SNP’s Westminster leader, Ian Blackford, said there will be a “wave of revulsion” across Scotland if the former prime minister returns to No 10.
Speaking to the Press and Journal, Mr Lumsden said: “I don’t really mind who is the next leader as long as it’s not Boris Johnson to be honest.
“He’s still under investigation, he still broke the lockdown rules, none of that has changed.
“As far as I’m concerned he was ousted as leader and I don’t think it would be appropriate for him to come back as leader.”
He continued: “I think most of the MSPs made their position quite clear on Boris Johnson.”
Mr Johnson still faces an investigation by the Commons Privileges Committee over claims he lied to parliament over lockdown parties in Downing Street, which could potentially see him expelled as an MP.
‘All I’m focused on is Rishi Sunak’
Andrew Bowie, Conservative MP for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, would not be drawn on whether it would be appropriate for the former prime minister to return.
He said: “I’m not focused on any other candidates. All I’m focused on is Rishi Sunak.
“I think he’s the candidate best placed to take the country forward.
“He’s the one with the serious economic plan.
“He’s proven he’s delivered in a crisis before and a lot of what he said in the summer has sadly come to pass.”
The obvious choice. It has to be Rishi. pic.twitter.com/PePXVU8J7W
— Andrew Bowie MP (@AndrewBowie_MP) October 20, 2022
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has called on Ms Truss to decline an annual allowance of £115,000 given to former prime ministers.
The Public Duty Cost Allowance is “to assist former prime ministers still active in public life”, according to the Cabinet Office.
Asked about whether it is right to accept this cash after just 44 days in post, Mr Lumsden said it is “up to her whether she accepts that or not”.
He added: “I’ve seen ministers before when they’re in a ministerial position, that they’ve turned down those payments, so that will be a matter for Liz to decide.
“It’s not something I’ve thought about. She’s been put through quite a lot in the last six weeks. That will be for Liz to decide.”
Mr Bowie declined to comment on whether it would be appropriate to take the money, saying he would “not be drawn into the minutiae of that sort of thing”.
Banff and Buchan MP David Duguid declined to comment on Mr Johnson.
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