Ruth Davidson to quit as Scottish Tory leader
Ruth Davidson is planning to quit as leader of the Scottish Conservatives, according to reports.
Davidson, who gave birth last year, is reportedly stepping down due to family pressures and over her disagreements with Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Read more: Ruth Davidson backs Michael Gove’s leadership bid
A senior Tory source told the Scottish Sun that “there are two reasons she has been considering going – family and Boris”.
Another source told the newspaper that the “pressures of motherhood” had been made more difficult in the “current political climate”.
Davidson, who took over as leader of the Scottish Conservatives in November 2011, supported Remain in the 2016 EU referendum and backed Johnson’s rival Jeremy Hunt in the final round of the leadership race earlier this year.
After Johnson won and became Prime Minister, Davidson said she would “judge his premiership by his actions in office.”
She has been a critic of Johnson in the past, with the two clashing over Brexit during a TV debate ahead of the vote.
The news that Davidson is preparing to step down comes after the Queen yesterday approved the Prime Minister’s request to suspend parliament for an extended period, which will reduce the amount of time MPs will sit before the Brexit deadline on 31 October.
Davidson’s resignation, which is expected to be announced tomorrow, is reportedly not directly connected to Johnson’s decision to prorogue parliament .
Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat said: “The resignation of Ruth Davidson is a huge blow for all Conservatives.
Read more: Ruth Davidson rules out ever becoming Conservative leader
“She has been an exceptional leader not just in Scotland but across the United Kingdom and a voice of integrity in challenging times.”
Davidson has been credited with turning the party around in Scotland. In the 2017 general election the number of Tory MPs in Scotland rose from one to 13, with a vote share of 28.6 per cent.
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