SCOTLAND’S six Tory MPs were dismissed as the “Prime Minister’s poodles” last night after they backed the UK Government’s controversial Internal Market Bill.

Despite growing unhappiness at the legislation among Boris Johnson’s backbenchers, Douglas Ross and his colleagues all supported the Government.

The Scottish Tory leader said it was about protecting the “545,000 jobs in Scotland that rely on UK trade, and ensure the unrestricted movement of goods across this country”.

However, he suggested he could back amendments to the bill when it progresses to the next parliamentary stage.

He added: “Putting half a million jobs at risk in the middle of a pandemic is not an option, so I am voting for the bill at this stage to make sure that safety net for Scottish jobs is there.”

In his speech to the Commons, Ian Blackford pointed out that Ross had spent much of his first few weeks in office promising to “stand up” to Johnson.

In an interview last month, the Moray MP told the BBC “I will back the Prime Minister where I think it is right for Scotland.

“But if I think he has got something wrong, or where I think the Government has got something wrong, I’ll stand up and say that.

“I’ve shown people across Scotland that if I think the Prime Minister has got it wrong, I’ll tell him.”

Blackford told Ross he would “have that chance tonight”.

He added: “Listen to the coalition of opposition in Scotland, rather than your masters in Downing Street.

“If the Scottish Tories follow their colleagues into the lobbies and support this power grab. They will expose themselves as being weaker than ever, of failing to stand up for Scotland’s interest against the London power grab.

“The very first test of the new Scottish Tory leadership will have turned out to be its biggest, and they will have failed.

“They will simply have shown themselves to be the Prime Minister’s poodles, turning their back on Scotland’s interests. They will have failed once again to stand up for Scottish democracy.”

More than 20 Tory MPs, including the former chancellor Sajid Javid, refused to support Johnson last night.

Outlining his opposition, the former attorney general Geoffrey Cox said the British Government and parliament had “given our word”.

He added: “Our honour, our credibility, our self-respect and our future influence in the world all rest upon us keeping that word.”

Yesterday afternoon the Government refused to rule out removing the whip from rebels.

All five living former prime ministers have now expressed concern about the bill.

David Cameron said he had misgivings: “Passing an act of parliament and then going on to break an international treaty obligation is the very, very last thing you should contemplate.”