AS Carrie Johnson steams off the gold wallpaper to take to their new abode, and Larry the Cat prepares for a new mistress or master, Nicola Sturgeon, the longest-serving First Minister, has now seen off three British Prime Ministers: David Cameron, a tearful Mrs May, and a kicking, screaming, very reluctant, Boris Johnson, who still claims he has never lied to the House of Commons.
Nicola Sturgeon could now, with her European and international appeal, possibly claim to be Britain’s elder statesperson.
READ MORE: What does Boris Johnson's resignation mean for Scottish independence?
The SNP have been in power since 2007 and are still winning elections – something that Donald Dewar and Lord Robertson of Islay thought their voting system would prevent. In fact Lord Robertson thought devolution would be the end of the SNP. It only proves that the SNP in government are doing something right.
But can you imagine the outcry if any of the SNP MPs or MSPs had behaved in the way Boris Johnson and his cohorts have, lying and misleading the public? The air time they have had – George Eustace, Dominic Raab, Jacob Rees-Mogg, Alister Jack, the list appears endless – all telling untruths, covering up and at best misleading, to the bitter end, trying to protect Big Dog.
Yet they expect Boris Johnson to function as prime minister, until the autumn, as if nothing has happened. And a new leader is handed a very split and divided Tory party.
READ MORE: Watch Glasgow react to the news that Boris Johnson has resigned as Prime Minister
Surely allowing Boris to stay in position gives him and his devoted followers the opportunity to cause more division, uncertainty and damage to agreements, protocols and the cost-of-living crisis, and to the Tory party.
Surely if the Tories had any sense of decency they would swiftly select a leader and call a General Election – and if they win, start afresh. But they won’t, they will just plod on with the same old contempt for the electorate as they always had.
Who may be a possible leader? Ben Wallace, Liz Truss and – if a safe Tory seat was found – a certain Ruth Davidson spring to mind.
But we will never ever get a prime minister that was such a fantastic advert for Scottish independence as in Bungling Boris.
Robert McCaw
Renfrew
IT’S been a long time coming but common sense has prevailed and Boris Johnson has stepped down as leader of the Conservative party.
However, Johnson stays on as prime minister perhaps until the autumn, when his party elects a new leader and prime minister.
But there is a problem in that Johnson has become so toxic to the Conservative party and government that, if it’s possible, many Conservatives may want him removed as prime minister as quickly as possible and Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab installed in the interim,while they go through the election process for a new leader and prime minister.
READ MORE: Who is and isn't standing in the Conservative leadership contest
What can you say about Johnson’s thankfully short premiership, other than it was ignominious characterised by his embarrassing incompetence, his habitual lying and his lowering the standards of British public life and immersing it in sleaze?
Johnson’s burning ambition o’erleaped his questionable competence and the efficacy of his leadership, not only as Prime Minister, but when he was Foreign Secretary – a job he resigned from – and finally leader of his party. Did Boris Johnson really care about his office? Did Boris Johnson really care about his party? Did Boris Johnson really care about Britain, or were they just vehicles for his enormous overweening ego?
READ MORE: Johnson's resignation likened to 'sewage dumping' at Westminster
Ultimately and inevitably Johnson was undone by his incompetence, his lying and unsuitability for the top job in politics.
Boris Johnson’s downfall reminded me of something Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist George Bernard Shaw once wrote:
There are two tragedies in life,
One is not to have your heart’s desire,
The other is to have your heart’s desire.
Sandy Gordon
Edinburgh
THE situation in Westminster is becoming more and more bizarre as it develops.
An incident at a private Tory club has escalated into a situation so serious that the prime minister has to be removed immediately – but will continue in office as a caretaker leading a lame-duck government until the autumn.
A number of Cabinet ministers have resigned, but more have gone in reshuffles without anyone raising an eyebrow.
The media has become almost hysterical and there has been an avalanche of resignations from junior posts in the government; can anyone put names to the faces as their mugshots transverse the screen in every news bulletin?
READ MORE: UK Government business is 'grinding to a halt', warns SNP chief whip
Minister after minister has praised the Prime Minister’s leadership and ability – how he led the country successfully through Brexit, the pandemic, beginning to rebuild the economy and is leading the world response to the war in Ukraine.
Apparently government will continue to function and there will be no significant difference in the UK but he will no longer command international respect.
If this is the case then who stands to gain most from this situation? Is it possible that this coup in the UK has been engineered to destabilise the alliance supporting the Ukraine?
Surely if the Tory party system for electing the prime minister has been such an abject failure, there must be a General Election now to elect a fresh government that reflects the will and has the confidence of the people.
John Jamieson
South Queensferry
WHAT an embarrassment the Speaker’s rage at MPs clapping a speech made at PMQs was. He’s another who needs replaced. He always threatens to kick out loudmouth MPs but never follows through on the threat when it’s quite obvious it’s what’s required.
Steve Cunningham
Aberdeen
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