DOUGLAS Ross “destroyed any remaining credibility he had” in a car crash interview which saw him defend Boris Johnson for breaking the law.
The Scottish Tory leader’s appearance on the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland saw him invoke images of the “shallow graves of innocent men, women and children” as he argued against the removal of the Prime Minister.
The comments drew ire from SNP MP Stewart McDonald, who said the Conservatives were using the “blood of Ukrainians as a shield”.
“Tory politicians taking to social media and the airwaves to downplay Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak’s lawbreaking and lying, whilst also cynically using the blood of dead Ukrainians as a shield, is one of the most revolting episodes I’ve witnessed yet. A political and moral sewer,” he said.
READ MORE: People calling for Johnson to resign 'are helping Putin', Douglas Ross suggests
Christina McKelvie, the Scottish Equalities Minister, further shared a tweet linking Douglas Ross to a statement saying: "Arrogating the horror of that struggle [in Ukraine] to confect war-leader credentials in order to dig crooked liar Johnson out of a hole is actually despicable."
Speaking to the BBC, Ross further insisted Johnson was a truthful person, despite agreeing that statements he had made to MPs in the Commons were “clearly not” true.
The Prime Minister had previously claimed that “all guidance was followed completely in No 10”.
Asked if that statement had misled parliament, an offence which Ross previously claimed Nicola Sturgeon was guilty of as he called for her resignation, the Scottish Tory leader declined to directly answer.
MP John Nicolson branded the Scottish Tory leader’s response “disgraceful”, adding that Ross was “spineless and dishonest”.
Reacting to the interview, Deputy First Minister John Swinney said the Tories were “making a fool of people who suffered”.
Douglas Ross destroyed any remaining credibility he had on Good Morning Scotland. He supports the Prime Minister in making a fool of people who suffered during the pandemic. Johnson should resign. And we need to punish the Tories for their double standards.
— John Swinney (@JohnSwinney) April 13, 2022
He wrote on Twitter: “Douglas Ross destroyed any remaining credibility he had on Good Morning Scotland. He supports the Prime Minister in making a fool of people who suffered during the pandemic. Johnson should resign. And we need to punish the Tories for their double standards.”
Swinney’s statement was shared by a raft of other SNP figures including Equalities Minister McKelvie, Angus MP Dave Doogan, and Health Secretary Humza Yousaf.
Pete Wishart, the SNP’s longest serving MP, labelled the interview “excruciating”.
He wrote: “This interview with Douglas Ross on #GMS is simply excruciating.
“He now seems determined to go down with a man he had asked to resign and he seems content to let Johnson sink the Scottish Tories in the process.”
Asked on the BBC if Johnson’s law breaking would impact on the Conservatives hopes of a successful local election campaign, Ross insisted that it would not.
He said the election would be fought on local issues, and declined to say if he would lose his job as Scottish Tory leader in the wake of a poor result.
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