Emotional Ruth Davidson breaks down as she quits as Scottish Tory leader and begs MPs ‘for God’s sake vote for a deal’
AN EMOTIONAL Ruth Davidson broke down this morning as she quit as Scottish Tory boss to spend more time with her baby son Finn.
And in a fiery warning to MPs who claim they don’t want a No Deal Brexit she told them: “For God’s sake, at the fourth time, vote for a deal.”
As The Scottish Sun revealed last night, Ms Davidson made a statement this morning confirming she will stand down – but will stay as an MSP until 2021.
And in her parting shots she blasted MPs who had “a goal gaping in front of them three times and hit the ball over the bar”.
She urged MPs who were seriously worried about Boris taking the country out of the EU without a deal “not to blow a fourth” chance.
And she revealed that Boris had personally reassured her how much he was striving for a deal to be done with Brussels.
“I believe him when he says he’s seeking to get a deal,” she said this morning at a press conference.
“I stand square behind the PM’s attempts to bring back a deal that can pass in the House of Commons.”
Theresa May tweeted for the first time since she stepped down that she was sorry to see Ruth go.
She said: “Thank you for all you’ve done for our party and our Union over the last 8 years, and enjoy your well-deserved family time with Jen and Finn.”
Ms Ruth Davidson, who has led the party in Scotland for eight years, said it was the honour of her life to serve in the role.
In her letter Ms Davidson said how she had to “make a different choice” and put her son Finn first now.
She said the thought of fighting another election and spending hundreds of hours away from her home and family “now fills me with dread. That is no way to lead”.
“I fear that having tried to be a good leader over the years, I have proved a poor daughter, sister, partner and friend,” she said.
“The party and my work has always come first, often at the expense of commitments to loved ones.
“The arrival of my son means I now make a different choice.”
On Brexit she said she had tried to respect the referendum result while “seeking to maximise opportunities and mitigate risks for Scottish businesses and sectors”.
But there was “conflict” there too, she stressed.
Senior Tories revealed how Ms Davidson, who had her first child Finn with partner Jen last year, is said to be under huge pressure both at work and at home.
And since Boris Johnson came into No10 she was said to have been more and more at odds with him over his Brexit plans.
Ms Davidson has long been a passionate Remainer and doesn’t support a No Deal Brexit.
Her departure will be a huge loss for the Tories, who have seen huge success in Scotland under her leadership.
Indeed, without her in the 2017 General Election where the Tories picked up several seats north of the border, it’s unlikely Theresa May would have had enough support to even govern.
Boris is less popular in Scotland than he is elsewhere in the country, and the party will now face a huge headache of who will replace her.
Today he paid tribute to her “incredible leadership” and “wonderful service” to the party.
“I will miss the incredible leadership she has given to our Party in Scotland, but I am delighted that she will continue to use her enthusiasm, passion and dedication to make the case for Scotland’s place in the United Kingdom from the backbenches and beyond,” he said.
Tory whip is first to quit Government under Boris
TORY WHIP Lord Young has quit the Government today over Boris’ Brexit plans.
He became the first serving under Boris to throw in the towel over Boris’ bold plans to prorogue Parliament.
Lord Young was a minister under every Tory PM going back to Margaret Thatcher, but said today he was “very unhappy with the timing and length of the prorogation, and its motivation”.
The peer has served in Parliament since 1974.
He said the PM’s move “risks undermining the fundamental role of Parliament at a critical time in our history”.
His decision to resign will heap more pressure on members of Boris Johnson’s Cabinet who attacked the idea of shutting down Parliament to help get Brexit through.
Amber Rudd, Michael Gove and Matt Hancock have all said they wouldn’t support such a move in the past.
A senior Tory source said last night: “Ruth’s been talking to senior party figures in the Conservatives for the last few weeks, both in Scotland and down south.
“She has been under huge pressure as a new mum.
“Nobody really fully understands how your life is going to change as a parent until it happens.
“Ruth is no different in this respect.
“She’s tried to juggle motherhood with being the very high-profile leader of the opposition in Scotland, and it’s taken its toll.
“All of this has been made more difficult with the current political climate, where she’s found herself at increasing odds with the new leadership in London.
“The events unfolding at Westminster are not helped.”
Ms Davidson, 40, had been leader of the Scottish Conservatives since November 2011.
Another Tory source said: “There are two reasons she has been considering going – family and Boris.
“Ruth and Jen is under huge strain.
“And Ruth is in a real hole with Boris – she can’t defend him, it’s toxic and goes against so much of what she’s fought for.”
At the 2016 Holyrood election, the Scottish Tories doubled their MSP seats to 31, replacing Labour as the main opposition to the SNP.
And at the 2017 General Election, Tory MPs in Scotland rose from one to 13.
And their vote share was 28.6 per cent – the best performance since 1983.
Ms Davidson had a close working relationship with David Cameron, and was closely consulted by Theresa May.
However, she backed Mr Johnson’s rival Jeremy Hunt in this year’s Tory leadership race.
And after Mr Johnson won, she gave his appointment a lukewarm response, saying she would “judge his premiership by his actions in office”.
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