BORIS Johnson’s resignation would be a boost for Vladimir Putin, a Conservative MSP has claimed.
Graham Simpson, the party’s transport spokesman in Holyrood, said it would send the "completely wrong" message if the Prime Minister was forced to stand down because he received a fixed penalty notice for breaking strict Covid laws.
Last week, saw a number of government officials receiving £50 fines over a party held on June 18, 2020, reportedly a leaving party for diplomat Hannah Young, held in the Cabinet Office building at 70 Whitehall.
The Metropolitan Police said they were issuing 20 penalty notices to those they had a “reasonable belief” were at the law-breaking event.
The force suggested the fines were issued as part of a “first tranche”, indicating that more could be handed out in relation to the other 11 events being investigated.
Speaking on BBC Scotland’s Sunday Show, Mr Simpson was asked if the Prime Minister should resign if he receives a fine.
The Tory MSP replied: “Well, the Prime Minister hasn't been fined, it’s completely speculative to say that so I'm not going to sit here and say what should happen.”
He added: “I think, right now, when we've got the situation in Ukraine, it is completely the wrong time for anyone to be calling for the Prime Minister to go.”
Mr Simpson continued: “The message that would send out to Vladimir Putin would be completely wrong.
“We need to be concentrating on helping the people of Ukraine and not calling for Prime Ministers to go. It's the wrong time.”
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, who was also on the programme, was asked if his party had the same view.
He said: “I think there's a different point.
“One – unity against Vladimir Putin and unity with the people of Ukraine. But we are talking about Ukraine in the defence of democracy.
“It doesn't mean we forget to do democracy here or at home.
“Boris Johnson is a liar. He's incompetent, he's corrupt, and the sooner he leaves office, the better it is for the United Kingdom.”
Earlier this year, Douglas Ross was one of the first senior Tories to call for the Prime Minister to stand down over the Downing Street partygate row, saying his position was “no longer tenable” after the Tory leader admitted attending a drinks event during lockdown.
“He is the Prime Minister — it is his government that put these rules in place and he has to be held to account for his actions,” Mr Ross said at the time, confirming that he'd sent a letter to the backbench 1922 committee in the Commons asking for a vote of no confidence.
At the time he had the support of nearly every Scottish Tory MSP.
However, last month, he said the crisis in Ukraine meant the situation had changed and withdrew his letter.
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