TORY BRANCH OFFICE IN SCOTLAND DISMISSED AS BUNCH OF ‘LIGHTWEIGHTS'
Patricia Gibson MP said the Tory civil war is "helping to make the case for independence" - as senior Tories dismissed and belittled the views of their own branch office in Scotland.
In a series of interviews last night, senior Tory Cabinet minister and Leader of the House of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg dismissed Douglas Ross MP/MSP as a "lightweight" and repeatedly said "I don't think he's a big figure."
It followed similar media comments by Michael Gove, who heads up Boris Johnson's campaign against Scottish independence and who displayed his contempt for Mr Ross by saying "my instant response is he's in Elgin and the national Tory leader is in London."
Speaking to BBC Good Morning Scotland this morning, former Tory MSP Adam Tompkins hit back, describing the comments as “very rude and dismissive.”
Patricia said:
"It was toe-curling to sit in the Commons and have to listen to Boris Johnson’s self-serving apology yesterday. By dismissing their own branch office in Scotland as a bunch of 'lightweights' and nobodies, the Tories are revealing their disdain for Scotland and helping to make the case for independence.
"Not only is it deeply humiliating for Douglas Ross but it’s a telling insight into the arrogant and dismissive attitude that the UK Tory Government has towards Scotland as a whole. They are looking down their noses at us and making it clear just how little Scotland's views matter to them - just like they did over Brexit and austerity cuts.
"Tory MPs in Scotland, including Mr Ross, put Boris Johnson in power and like loyal stooges they have rubber-stamped every damaging decision, from Brexit to Universal Credit cuts, which is no doubt why they are belittled and brushed aside by their Westminster leaders. If this is what the Tories think of their own MPs in Scotland, imagine what they think about the rest of us.
"As the UK government descends into another bitter Tory civil war, it's clearer than ever that Scotland needs to become an independent country, so we can determine our own future and escape the corrupt and broken Westminster system for good.”
Jacob Rees-Mogg on BBC Newsnight:
“Douglas Ross has always been quite a lightweight.”
Jacob Rees-Mogg to LBC on Douglas Ross:
"I don't think he's a big figure."
Michael Gove to Politics Home on Douglas Ross:
"My instant response is he's in Elgin and the national Tory leader is in London"
ENDS
