Ruth Davidson has quit as Scottish Conservative leader amid growing frustration over Boris Johnson’s approach to Brexit.
She wrote to the Scottish party chairman this morning to tender her resignation saying it was a “privilege of a life time” and that the past eight years coincided with “one of the most remarkable and important periods of recent Scottish political history.”
It has been the privilege of my life to serve as @ScotTories leader. This morning I wrote to the Scottish party chairman to tender my resignation. pic.twitter.com/CJ9EjW2RqN
Tory sources last night acknowledged that Ms Davidson had been put in an “almost impossible position” by the prime minister’s willingness to embrace a no-deal Brexit.
They also indicated that pressures of family life are a factor in a decision which will be a huge blow to the Scottish Tories.
Successor
Now the search begins for a new party leader with Murdo Fraser, who ran for the job against Ms Davidson back in 2011, as a possible successor.
Other contenders look to be Adam Tomkins, the party’s constitution spokesman at Holyrood, Miles Briggs and Liam Kerr.
Ruth Davidson resigns as Scottish Conservative leader