THE Scottish Tories are furious at Boris Johnson’s botched handling of the Owen Paterson scandal, reports say.
According to The Times newspaper, senior figures in Douglas Ross’s party believe the Government’s humiliating U-turn - which came despite having won a vote in the Commons - has undermined their position at Holyrood.
One source told that paper: “With friends like these, who needs enemies?”
READ MORE: These are the MPs facing investigations into sleaze at Westminster
The UK Government’s plan to overhaul the standards process and block the suspension of Paterson - who was found guilty of lobbying on behalf of companies paying him £100,000 per year - was supported by four Scottish Tories at Westminster.
However, Scottish Secretary Alister Jack did not vote due to COP26 commitments, and Ross avoided the vote altogether, claiming he couldn’t support the change as Paterson was being investigated.
Scottish Tories at Holyrood were reportedly baffled by their bosses in London’s plans to support Paterson (above), saying it would make it more difficult for them to question the SNP over impropriety.
According to The Times, one MSP described Boris Johnson’s decision as “madness”, with another saying it made “any kind of sensible comment on standards impossible”.
The Tories have repeatedly called for Nicola Sturgeon to step down amid claims she broke the ministerial code, but have remained publicly silent about the sleaze engulfing their own party south of the Border.
READ MORE: Owen Paterson resigns amid 'indescribable nightmare' after Boris Johnson U-turn
Scottish Secretary Jack agreed the time of the Paterson debate had not been “ideal” but later refused to join his other Conservative colleagues in criticising Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Kathryn Stone.
Labour have called for Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng to face an investigation after he called on Stone to consider her position in the wake of the Paterson affair.
Despite it being the Tories mired in sleaze, Kwarteng said it was “difficult to see what the future of the commissioner is, given the fact that we’re reviewing the process, and we’re overturning and trying to reform this whole process”.
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