SCOTTISH Tory interim leader Jackson Carlaw is facing criticism from his own MSPs after failing to tell senior shadow cabinet members of his plan to reverse the party's No-Deal Brexit position before it was announced.
At the Conservative conference in Manchester on Sunday, Carlaw revealed he would abandon his predecessor Ruth Davidson's policy of opposing the UK leaving the EU without a deal.
He instead said he would back Prime Minister Boris Johnson regardless of whether he secures a deal with the bloc before the October 31 deadline.
READ MORE: Scottish Conservatives to back No-Deal in Brexit U-turn
Senior Tory insiders expressed "cold fury" over the temporary leader's move, with sources telling The Telegraph that shadow Europe minister Donald Cameron and the shadow constitution minister Adam Tomkins were not informed of the plan before the speech.
According to the insiders other shadow cabinet memebers have been upset by the "significant shift in policy position" taking place without any warning.
One insider said: “The U-turn on No Deal was neither discussed nor approved by the shadow cabinet and was not even shared with his constitutional affairs or European spokesman before being made public.
“This has left a number of us in cold fury. Even if it’s the right call in policy terms, no unelected or interim leader should be acting in such a high-handed manner. He’s asking for trouble.”
READ MORE: No-Deal Brexit: Jackson Carlaw quotes illustrate his Brexit U-turn
Another said: “For what is a significant shift in policy position, it’s surprising that this was not discussed in advance with the relevant spokespeople holding the appropriate portfolios.”
They added it would be "more concerning" if the policy change had been premeditated, rather than a spur of the moment decision the interim leader made.
Yet another Scottish Tory source said there was “disquiet” in the party’s Holyrood group over the announcement.
Hard to overstate how big a blunder supporting a ‘no deal’ Brexit is from Jackson Carlaw. https://t.co/qwUJgpIfBn
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) September 30, 2019
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon yesterday tweeted it was "hard to overstate how big a blunder supporting a ‘no deal’ Brexit is from Jackson Carlaw".
SNP MP Pete Wishart said: “It’s no surprise that the Scottish Tories have fallen into line behind their Westminster bosses and are now card-carrying do-or-die Brexiteers.
“It is shameful that not a single Scottish Tory can bring themselves to stand up for Scotland against an extreme Brexit - even at this critical moment for our country.”
A Tory spokesman added: "Jackson and the Scottish Conservatives believe the UK Government can get a deal to leave to EU in an orderly manner.”
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