SENIOR Scottish Conservatives are “cosying up” to potential replacements for the Prime Minister after reportedly drinking bubbly with the Foreign Secretary.
Andrew Bowie and Douglas Ross met with Liz Truss last week at an event dubbed "fizz with Liz".
Scottish Tory leader Ross has called for the Prime Minister to resign, one of the six Tory MPs to have publicly done so.
According to a report from Politics Home, the two senior Tory MPs met with the Foreign Secretary - who has publicly backed the Prime Minister.
An ally of Truss told the site the meetings were "the normal way of doing business" and there was nothing suspicious about the meeting.
Truss has been holding meetings with Tory MPs on Mondays, reportedly in a bid to win them over should she attempt to unseat the Prime Minister.
But it comes at a time when Johnson is facing increasing pressure to step down amid growing speculation Tory MPs are submitting letters to the powerful 1922 Committee. If that number reaches 54, a no-confidence vote will be called.
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The SNP said Scottish Tories were “cosying up” with Johnson’s potential successors.
A party spokesperson said: “It speaks volumes that Scottish Conservative MPs - who, let's not forget, fully endorsed Boris Johnson's election bid - are already cosying up to his potential replacement.
"Individuals like Andrew Bowie should, instead, be focussing on standing up for his constituents by calling for Boris Johnson's resignation - rather than drinking fizz with Liz Truss.
"Regardless of who eventually does take over from Boris Johnson, there can be no doubt that Scotland is not safe under the current Westminster system.
"Only with the full powers of independence can we rid ourselves of this corrupt, dysfunctional Tory government for good.”
READ MORE: Boris Johnson laughs at Ian Blackford's question and refuses to resign
Truss is seen as a potential successor to the Prime Minister, along with Chancellor Rishi Sunak, Penny Mordaunt, Sajid Javid and Nadhim Zahawi.
Challenged about the revelations on Politics Live this morning, former Conservative Party vice chair Bowie admitted he had attended but denied there was booze involved or that a leadership bid was discussed.
He said the meeting was routine and concerned developments in Ukraine.
Asked on the programme if the Prime Minister should resign, Bowie stopped short of calling for Johnson to step down but said he should "consider his position".
The Scottish Conservative party was approached for comment.
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