The fatal trio that could finish the Union

When he assumed the Office of Prime Minister, Boris Johnson also took upon himself the responsibility of being, he said, ‘Minister for the Union’. Whatever you may feel about the manner in which he has performed as First Lord of the Treasury, his record in his other post has been miserable. So much so, indeed, that it is evident Johnson is as great a threat to the Union as Nicola Sturgeon.

That is not merely my view, it is the view of an increasing number of Scottish Tories. And, still more relevant, the view of the Scottish people themselves. Fewer than one in five voters in Scotland are impressed by Johnson’s performance. It is hard to banish the thought that some of these plucky few must be diehard independence supporters who can identify a significant asset when they see one.

The most important speech at the recent Tory conference was given by Douglas Ross, the new leader of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist party.