IT’S the final countdown. As the world celebrates the anniversary of first manned moon landing, the Tories are about to blast off to a parallel universe with space cadet Boris Johnson at the controls. In an act of monumental self-delusion Tory members are about to elect an international figure of ridicule as their new leader and foist him on the rest of us as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

In recent days we have been reminded in television and radio documentaries that Johnson built his career on lies and misrepresentation.

This was the budding young journalist who infamously made up horror stories about the EU and made up quotes for his stories on the way. He was sacked for his dishonesty.

In supreme irony, Johnson grabbed the headlines this week and guaranteed his picture was in the papers by standing up for the Isle of Man kipper, and blamed horrific Brussels red tape for safe delivery standards to customers. Even a little basic research would have confirmed: a) the Isle of Man is not in the European Union, b) regulations relating to kippers are determined by the United Kingdom.

Whether it’s the small matter of untruths about kippers or whoppers during the Brexit referendum about saving £350m a week for the week by leaving the European Union, it is beyond debate that mendacious Johnson is a repeated liar and as such is not fit for public office.

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This clearly matters little to Tory members in England who are blinded by BoJo’s bumbling toff routine and his hard-line on Brexit.

Boris Johnson poses a huge problem for Scottish Tories who know that the place least likely to tug the forelock to his bumbling Tory toff routine is Scotland.

Early attempts to block him becoming Prime Minister by Scottish Tories were aptly named named “Operation Arse”. Both party leader Ruth Davidson and UK Secretary of State for Scotland David Mundell supported a range of candidates who weren’t Boris Johnson.

It has become clear during the Conservative leadership contest that Tories south of the border don’t give a stuff about anything apart from delivering Brexit. Polled by YouGov in June, a massive 63% preferred Brexit taking place even if it meant Scottish independence, 61% wanted Brexit even if it causes significant damage to the UK economy and 59% would rather Brexit took place even if it meant Northern Ireland leaving the UK.

Not that long ago Ruth Davidson gave the impression that she and her party were different: more moderate, more mainstream, more sensible, more tolerant. All of that is for the birds as she has morphed into “Brexit Ruth” with her MPs voting this week to sideline parliament if necessary to deliver a hard Brexit.

The National: Ruth Davidson

In the face of the reality of a Boris Johnson victory Scottish Tories have signalled that they will capitulate and will pledge their loyalty to him for a promise “that he will listen to them, at least on issues relating to Scotland”.

What a total joke. If ever confirmation was needed about the supplicant status of Scottish Tories amongst their UK colleagues, here we have it.

The prospect of Boris Johnson as Prime Minister is a disaster for the Scottish Tories. He has a personal approval rating of minus 37 north of the border, behind his leadership rival, who shares an approval rating of minus 24 with Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage. BoJo only beats Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn whose rating is minus 44.

Latest poll projections would see the Scottish Tories lose every single Scottish seat they hold in a UK General Election to the SNP. Ironically the prospect of an early election is exactly what Boris Johnson may have to embrace.

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He inherits a minority government, with enough Tory MPs who will vote with opposition parties to block a no-deal Brexit, and deny him the policy option supported by the Tory grassroots.

Given he will not be able renegotiate the main substance of the Brexit withdrawal agreement his options are severely limited and the clock is ticking towards the October Brexit deadline.

When Panelbase asked Scottish voters a few weeks ago how they would vote in an independence referendum if Boris Johnson became Prime Minister, more than half said they would vote Yes for independence.

Opinions are changing in Scotland about the best options for the future. Brexit is a disaster that the overwhelming majority of voters in Scotland don’t support. Boris Johnson is a Tory buffoon and charlatan that people won’t vote for in Scotland either. As England increasingly declares independence from the rest of the United Kingdom we should look forward to a more sensible mainstream future as an independent country in Europe.