Patrick Harvie responds to Tory coronation
Responding to the installation by Boris Johnson of Douglas Ross as leader of the Conservatives in Scotland, Scottish Greens Co-Leader Patrick Harvie MSP said:
“Just months ago, the Scottish Tories were maintaining the pretence that they were something different from the extremist No-Deal Brexiteers of the Boris Johnson camp. Today the installation of Douglas Ross as their part time, absentee leader without even asking their members confirms that there isn’t a hint of difference between them.
“It’s also clear that the Prime Minister thinks the entire Holyrood group is useless, having overlooked the lot of them to appoint a backbench MP as leader. Combined with the stand-in role of Ruth Davidson, who is only marking time at Holyrood till she gets her ermine and her unelected job for life, it’s all symbolic of Boris Johnson’s contempt for Scotland and our Parliament, and even for their own members.
“It’s not just internal democracy the Tory leadership have distain for. They are clearly intent on pressing ahead with the power-grab against Scotland, with new legislation planned to give themselves a veto over any decisions that don’t fit their failed free market ideology. If Mr Ross wants to earn a shred of credibility, his first act as leader should be to insist that plan is scrapped. But I won’t be holding my breath.”