ALISTER Jack has again been accused of being "in hiding" by ducking TV interviews over Boris Johnson's partygate crisis.

Sunday Show presenter Martin Geissler said the BBC had asked for the Scottish Secretary or any other minister from the department to appear on the programme, but the invitations had been declined.

It is the second time in two weeks that no elected representative from the Scottish Tories would take part in the programme.

The party also refused to put anyone forward for the BBC's Good Morning Scotland radio show earlier this week.

READ MORE: Douglas Ross's job 'may be in danger if Boris Johnson stays Prime Minister'

"It comes as no surprise that, yet again, Scotland's Tory MPs are in hiding," said an SNP spokesman.

"Behind the rhetoric, they know that their actions are indefensible and that defending the Prime Minister on television is a political nightmare.

"We know that Boris Johnson has broken the rules, lied about it, and misled parliament. The court of public opinion will find him - and those who defended him - guilty in due course."

The Scottish and UK Tories have been in the midst of a war of words over partygate and the Prime Minister's future.

READ MORE: Ian Blackford demands Westminster forces Boris Johnson to release Sue Gray report

Earlier this month, Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross called for Johnson to resign after the PM apologised for attending a garden party in May 2020, when Covid lockdown restrictions were in place forbidding social gatherings.

However, Johnson insisted it was a work event and the Number 10 garden was an extension of his office.

Ross's call sparked insults from Cabinet ministers with Jacob Rees-Mogg describing him as a "lightweight figure" and Michael Gove dismissing the Moray MP as being "up in Elgin".

But Ross's call for the PM to go was enthusiastically backed by other leading Scottish Tories, including former leaders Ruth Davidson and Jackson Carlaw, as well as MSPs Stephen Kerr and Murdo Fraser.

READ MORE: David Mundell breaks his silence over Boris Johnson's partygate scandal

Jack was then forced to wade in to the row, admitting he had called on Ross to wait for Sue Gray’s report into the alleged lockdown parties, some of which are now the subject of a police probe.

The Scottish Secretary did a series of TV and radio interviews defending both Ross – describing him as a serious politician – while insisting he continued to have full confidence in Johnson.

But the row between the Scottish and UK Conservatives prompted former Scottish Tory MSP Adam Tomkins to call for the Scottish arm of the party to split from UK Tory headquarters if Johnson refuses to stand down.

However, some Johnson allies believe that the pressure is currently easing on the PM, with the momentum among Tory backbench rebels slowing while Westminster waits for Sue Gray's report into the saga and for the police to conclude their inquiries.

Should Johnson survive, Ross's position could become extremely vulnerable with the Scottish Tory leader expected to champion and campaign for a PM he argued should quit.

Kerr appeared on the Sunday Show last week to say he couldn't see Johnson remaining PM arguing there was "now an inevitably" over his political demise.

The Scottish Tory chief whip insisted Johnson's and Ross's futures were not linked and that whatever happens Johnson "Douglas is staying put" and was "there for good".