JACOB Rees-Mogg has belittled Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross as the party goes to war over Boris Johnson.
Ross said "I don’t think he can continue as leader of the Conservatives" after Johnson's car-crash Commons "apology" for partygate.
Around 20 Scottish Conservative MSPs have said they agree with Ross, who is also one of Johnson's MPs.
Now Mogg, the Leader of the House of Commons, has dismissed Ross in a live radio interview.
Speaking on LBC, Mogg was asked by interviewer Iain Dale about the Scottish Tory rebellion. Dale said he couldn't remember a such a call being made before.
Mogg responded: "I don't think it's a surprise that Douglas Ross takes this view. He's never been a supporter of the Prime Minister. He has constantly made disobliging comments about the Prime Minister."
'I don't think he's a big figure.'
— LBC (@LBC) January 12, 2022
Jacob Rees-Mogg's response to Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross calling for Boris Johnson to resign.@IainDale | @Jacob_Rees_Mogg pic.twitter.com/yVpTeEFyUO
On Ross' previous support for Johnson, Mogg continued: "People do sometimes vote for people in leadership elections who don't live up to expectations but I don't think Douglas Ross is a big figure. I think Alister Jack is really serious and senior figure."
Dale said that comment "almost illustrates why Douglas Ross has said this, because to say that the leader of the Scottish Conservatives is not a big figure in the Tory Party..."
Cutting Dale off, Mogg said: "He has been constantly in opposition to the Prime Minister, whether that is Brexit... He is not somebody who you would ever expect to say helpful things about the Prime Minister."
Commenting on Twitter, SNP MP Pete Wishart said: "Ooft! It’s not that the Westminster Tories don’t care about Scotland. They don’t even care about the Tories in Scotland…"
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