Douglas Ross: I do not think Boris Johnson will last the day as PM
The Scottish Conservative leader is telling Forth 1 Boris Johnson has to step down.
Last updated 6th Jul 2022
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross says he does not think Boris Johnson will make it to the end of the day as Prime Minister.
"I think the prime minister will have to accept his time in office is now coming to an end." He told our political editor Alan Smith.
Speaking to Forth 1 on a fast-moving day at Westminster, which has seen 31 MPs resign at the time of writing, Mr Ross said it is time for Boris Johnson to step aside.
He said: "It is now almost impossible for him to fill the vacancies which now exist in government.
"There are now almost 30 ministers who need to replaced, and I simply do not believe there are enough people on the backbenches who support the Prime Minister to fill them."
Boris Johnson survived a confidence vote last month, meaning another cannot be undertaken until a year has past.
But discussion are on-going as to if there are any ways round that limitation, but Ross believes the very fact those discussions are happening should encourage the PM to act.
He said:
"I think clearly the 1922 committee are meeting this afternoon to look at how they could enact another confidence vote. However, that in itself should be enough for the Prime Minister to realise that with the resignations of the more senior people within government, such as the Chancellor of the Exchequer last night, the health secretary and now Junior ministers that he cannot continue."
Continuing the Scottish Tories Leader said:
"I know people who were very supportive of the prime minister just three weeks ago have resigned from his government. Therefore, that is clearly a stronger number of people on the back benches within the conservative parliamentary party who don't see the Prime Minister continuing and he has to accept that it will be difficult.
"I understand that and he's achieved some significant things in office, most notably the rollout the COVID vaccine and the support the government offered individuals and businesses during the pandemic. But ultimately he has to realise he doesn't have the support of the parliamentary party and he must do the right thing and stand down for the good of the country."