NO Scottish Conservatives were available this afternoon to appear on a BBC panel with MSPs.
The Tories declined to be on a panel of MSPs on BBC Scotland's Politics Scotland programme on the same day Boris Johnson was slammed by MPs for attending a Downing Street garden gathering during the UK’s first coronavirus lockdown.
Johnson claimed that he had "believed implicitly" that it had been a work event.
Stating that the SNP's Siobhian Brown and Labour's Michael Marra were appearing on the panel, the show's host said: "We invited the Scottish Conservatives onto the panel but were told no one was available."
The Scottish Tories have been contacted for comment.
SNP MP John Nicolson said the Scottish Tories are "spineless and cowardly" for not appearing on the panel.
Spineless and cowardly @ScotTories https://t.co/tE4YKb1S5N
— JOHN NICOLSON M.P. (@MrJohnNicolson) January 12, 2022
Nairn L McDonald said: "Their silence is complicity."
Another added: "Well I'm not surprised."
Meanwhile, Douglas Ross, the party's leader, called for Johnson to step down as Prime Minister.
READ MORE: Douglas Ross calls for Boris Johnson to step down amid No 10 party scandals
Asked what he believed the Prime Minister should do next, Ross replied: "I said yesterday that if the Prime Minister attended this gathering or party or event at Downing Street on the 20th of May, then he could not continue as prime minister.
"So, regretfully, I have to say that his position is no longer tenable."
Ross had previously supported Johnson, publicly voting for him to lead the UK Tories during the leadership election of 2019.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel