Davidson: "I know how it feels to be dumped in it by Westminster Tories"

Scottish Conservative grandee Baroness Ruth Davidson has defended Tory leader Douglas Ross’ backing of Boris Johnson, saying: “I know what it’s like to be dumped in it by colleagues down south”.

During the launch of the Tory local election campaign at Davidson’s Mains Park in Edinburgh, Davidson criticised the prime minister, but insisted Ross’ backing of Johnson had not caused a rift between the pair.

Davidson said: “As somebody who is a Conservative, who believes deeply in the institutions of this country, it's about having the office of prime minister being traduced this week, being held by somebody who's broken the laws that they themselves set.”

On Ross refusing to call for Johnson’s resignation, Davidson said: “I've got no issue with Douglas. I think Douglas has been put in a terrible position, probably the hardest position that any Scottish leader ever has been in, and as somebody who was the leader for eight years, I know what it's like to have been dumped in it by colleagues down south.

“I think Douglas was pretty gutsy to come out early to and say that this wasn't on.”

Ross, who appeared at the campaign launch alongside Davidson, repeated his insistence that Johnson should not resign due to the war in Ukraine, but added he “has never given the prime minister a free pass”.

Ross said: “I think instability with the change of a leader right now would be the worst possible thing in terms of our efforts against the Russian aggression, and that would be the best possible thing for Vladimir Putin.”

When pressed on whether he would call for the prime minister to resign if the war in Ukraine ended, Ross refused to answer, saying “let’s look at hypotheticals when they come”.