ONE of the most interesting takes on Jackson Carlaw’s shock resignation came from John Swinney.
You’ll remember that the Deputy First Minister led the SNP for four years between 2000 and 2004 before falling on his sword.
At the time, he said his leadership and the strasmash around it was stopping the SNP from making the electoral progress he believed was possible.
Yesterday evening, when asked about the Tory’s resignation, Swinney told the BBC: “I’m somebody who’s got goodwill towards everybody, to be honest, so I feel for him.
“I was a party leader. I came to a conclusion that it wasn’t going very well under my leadership, so I had to face up to that conclusion. And that’s really tough because you as an individual have to say to yourself, look, I love my party, I want my party to be successful, but I don’t think I’m the person that can do it.”
Swinney said he hoped Carlaw would be more content about his contribution to politics after having taken this decision.
READ MORE: John Swinney says he is 'stunned' by Jackson Carlaw's resignation
Though Tory sources were making clear last night the decision wasn’t really Carlaw’s, but rather at the behest of the MSP group in the Scottish Parliament.
Those same sources were at pains to stress that the decision was definitely, absolutely, 100% not coming from Boris Johnson and Dominic Cummings.
Though it was interesting that the Prime Minister paid tribute to Carlaw choosing “to stand aside at this time” saying it showed his commitment to the party.
READ MORE: 'Was he pushed or did he jump?': Twitter reacts to Jackson Carlaw quitting
Within half an hour of the resignation being made public, the phone calls and the lobbying was well under way. The succession plan was already in place.
Douglas Ross will stand to be leader, and if he wins he’ll try and get himself a seat at Holyrood next May.
Will Number 10 like the MP for Moray as Scottish leader?
READ MORE: Douglas Ross rumoured to take over as Jackson Carlaw quits
In May, Ross quit as a Scotland Office minister over the Dominic Cummings row.
Other names being mentioned as potential leaders include Liam Kerr, Miles Briggs, Brain Whittle, and Michelle Ballantyne. One Tory source told me Ross Thomson was a possibility, but I’m pretty sure they were just on the wind-up.
READ MORE: Douglas Ross: Who is the Tory MP rumoured to replace Jackson Carlaw?
So, what will Carlaw’s legacy be? Well, he now replaces Jim Murphy as the answer to the pub quiz question: “Who has led a Scottish party for the least amount of time?”
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