Ex- Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson takes aim at Boris Johnson

Ex- Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson takes aim at Boris Johnson
Ex- Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson takes aim at Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson has demonstrated that he is ‘unfit for office’ over the ‘Partygate’ drama, a former Scottish Conservative leader has claimed.

Tory peer Ruth Davidson, who successfully campaigned against Scottish independence in 2014 and quit frontline politics five years later, said the Prime Minister is in a ‘perilous situation’ ahead of Sue Gray’s report into the lockdown party scandal.

In an interview with The Times, the former MSP said that she would have already submitted her letter of no-confidence in Mr Johnson to the 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers if she were a Member of Parliament.

She also warned that Mr Johnson’s authority was teetering in part because of a growing ‘fatigue’ within the party ‘for the amount of drama that has been emanating from No10’ over allegations of lockdown-busting gatherings across government.

‘I didn’t support him for the leadership and I believe what has been exposed to have happened in the last few weeks shows that he’s unfit for office,’ she told the paper.

Miss Davidson has previously launched attacks on plans by Mr Johnson’s government to force people to show ID to be allowed to vote at elections, and its policy on Britain’s departure from the EU.

Tory peer Ruth Davidson, who successfully campaigned against Scottish independence in 2014 and quit frontline politics five years later, said the Prime Minister is in a ‘perilous situation’ ahead of Sue Gray’s report into the lockdown party scandal

Tory peer Ruth Davidson, who successfully campaigned against Scottish independence in 2014 and quit frontline politics five years later, said the Prime Minister is in a ‘perilous situation’ ahead of Sue Gray’s report into the lockdown party scandal

Boris Johnson has demonstrated that he is ‘unfit for office’ over the ‘Partygate’ drama, a former Scottish Conservative leader has claimed

Boris Johnson has demonstrated that he is ‘unfit for office’ over the ‘Partygate’ drama, a former Scottish Conservative leader has claimed

Miss Davidson became a mother for the first time in October 2018 with partner Jen Wilson when she gave birth to their son Finn after IVF treatment. She stepped out of the political frontline to go on maternity leave

Miss Davidson became a mother for the first time in October 2018 with partner Jen Wilson when she gave birth to their son Finn after IVF treatment. She stepped out of the political frontline to go on maternity leave

I want Boris Johnson to be Prime Minister for as long as possible, insists Foreign Secretary Liz Truss 

Liz Truss insisted yesterday that Boris Johnson should continue as Prime Minister for ‘as long as possible’ as Downing Street braced itself for the publication of the Partygate report.

The Foreign Secretary is a leading contender to replace the PM but scotched talk of any leadership contest – despite fears he could be challenged as early as next week.

Mr Johnson is expected to speak to several wobbling Tory MPs this weekend from his country retreat, Chequers, in an attempt to head off any threat. Insiders believe similar meetings earlier this week helped defuse the threat of the ‘Pork Pie Plot’ coup by Red Wall MPs.

The official inquiry into the Partygate row by Whitehall ethics chief Sue Gray is expected to be published next week – and there is growing nervousness in Downing Street over what it will reveal. 

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She told ITV’s Robert Peston that allegations of voter fraud were ‘total b******s’, calling the PM’s proposed clampdown ‘politics as performance’.

The Tory peer has made little secret of her disapproval of Mr Johnson as he ran to replace the wounded Theresa May in 2019.

Miss, Davidson, who also campaigned for Remain in the 2016 European referendum, had clashed with Mr Johnson over the issue of the UK’s future membership of the EU.

Having been touted as a future leader of the UK Conservatives until she explicitly ruled out taking on the post, she went up against Mr Johnson in a televised referendum debate at Wembley Stadium in 2016.

During the race to succeed Mrs, May Miss Davidson backed first Sajid Javid and then Jeremy Hunt over the eventual winner.

Scottish Tories were said to have launched a plan codenamed Operation A*se to steer votes to Mr Johnson’s rivals.

Having led the party in Scotland for eight years, she stepped down in August 2019, barely a month after Mr Johnson entered Downing Street.

Miss Davidson became a mother for the first time in October 2018 with partner Jen Wilson when she gave birth to their son Finn after IVF treatment.

She stepped out of the political frontline to go on maternity leave, with her deputy Jackson Carlaw standing in as interim leader.

Her leadership transformed the fortunes of the Conservatives north of the border after she took on the job in November 2011 — just six months after she became an MSP.

Under her leadership, the Scottish Conservatives won a record 31 seats at Holyrood in the 2016 election, with the Tories ousting Labour from second place.

It comes amid reports that Scotland Yard will meet with the rebel Tory who accused government whips of ‘blackmailing’ backbenchers seeking to oust Mr Johnson.

Sue Gray (pictured) was said to have found an email warning Mr Johnson's principal private secretary Martin Reynolds against holding a drinks party in the No 10 garden

Sue Gray (pictured) was said to have found an email warning Mr Johnson's principal private secretary Martin Reynolds against holding a drinks party in the No 10 garden

Poll this week suggested Mr Johnson's popularity ratings have sunk to a similar level as Jeremy Corbyn before the 2019 general election, while Rishi Sunak is being seen more favourably

Poll this week suggested Mr Johnson's popularity ratings have sunk to a similar level as Jeremy Corbyn before the 2019 general election, while Rishi Sunak is being seen more favourably

William Wragg, 34, said he will be meeting a detective from the Metropolitan Police in the House of Commons early next week to discuss his allegations, raising the prospect police could open an investigation.

On Thursday, senior Tory Mr Wragg claimed Mr Johnson’s critics were facing ‘intimidation’ as part of an effort to prevent him being ousted from office.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has reportedly reinstated the team of ministers who helped him win the 2019 leadership contest in a bid to save his premiership as fears of a no-confidence vote increase amid Partygate chaos.

Mr Wragg said on Friday that next week, he plans to tell the detective ‘several’ examples of bullying and intimidation, claiming some cases involved public money.

He told The Telegraph: ‘I stand by what I have said. No amount of gas-lighting will change that.’

Scotland Yard will meet the rebel Tory who said government whips had 'blackmailed' backbenchers – as Boris beefs up top team amid no-confidence vote fears

Scotland Yard are set to meet with the rebel Tory who accused government whips of 'blackmailing' backbenchers seeking to oust Boris Johnson, who is understood to have reinstated his leadership team amid fears of a no-confidence vote.

William Wragg, 34, said he will be meeting a detective from the Metropolitan Police in the House of Commons early next week to discuss his allegations, raising the prospect police could open an investigation.

On Thursday, senior Tory Mr Wragg claimed Boris Johnson's critics were facing 'intimidation' as part of an effort to prevent him being ousted from office.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has reportedly reinstated the team of ministers who helped him win the 2019 leadership contest in a bid to save his premiership as fears of a no-confidence vote increase amid Partygate chaos.

Mr Wragg said on Friday that next week, he plans to tell the detective 'several' examples of bullying and intimidation, claiming some cases involved public money. 

He told The Telegraph: 'I stand by what I have said. No amount of gas-lighting will change that.'

William Wragg (pictured), 34, said he will be meeting a detective from the Metropolitan Police in the House of Commons early next week to discuss his allegations of 'blackmail'

William Wragg (pictured), 34, said he will be meeting a detective from the Metropolitan Police in the House of Commons early next week to discuss his allegations of 'blackmail'

'I am meeting the Police early next week,' he added.

The Metropolitan Police said if any

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