The Scottish Tories have been given a drubbing

The Scottish Tories have suffered a meltdown in the local elections. The party, which came second in 2017, looks set to poll far behind Scottish Labour, marking an ignominious return to third place. Labour’s Scottish leader Anas Sarwar has seemingly made Unionist politics competitive once again.

So, what happened? Boris happened. Specifically, partygate. The public’s fury was always going to burn the Scottish Tories but there was a moment when it looked like the party would insulate itself. Back in December, Scottish leader Douglas Ross drew a clear line, saying the Prime Minister should resign if he misled parliament. When it emerged in January that Boris had attended a party himself, Ross stood firm: the PM had to go. For his troubles, he was branded ‘a lightweight figure’ by Jacob Rees-Mogg, an assessment the Prime Minister did not demur from when given the opportunity.

Then, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Ross withdrew his letter to the 1922 Committee, on the grounds that the PM’s position shouldn’t be in doubt at such a critical moment.