Rees-Mogg claims Douglas Ross is a 'lightweight figure' in Tory party

Jacob Rees-Mogg has claimed Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross is a “lightweight figure” in the political party.

The Conservative MP, who also serves as leader of the House of Commons, made the comments after Ross said the Prime Minister’s position was “untenable” after he admitted attending a lockdown party at Downing Street.

Boris Johnson apologised during PMQs on Wednesday for attending the gathering, but said he believed it was a work event.

Ross had said Johnson should resign as Prime Minister if it was found he had attended the gathering at Downing Street in May 2020.

However in an interview on BBC’s Newsnight, Rees-Mogg doubled down on comments made earlier in the day in regards to the Scottish Tory leader.

Referencing comments that Ross was “not a big figure” in the Conservative party, presenter Kirsty Wark said a senior Scottish MSP has indicated Scottish Conservatives believe Boris Johnson should quit in the wake of the scandal.

Wark told the MP: “Every single Scottish Tory MSP, that’s 31 of them, the people that you depend on to hold up the union, think that Boris Johnson should quit”.

Rees-Mogg responded: “I would actually say that the Secretary for Scotland [Alister Jack], who is a big figure, is very supportive of the Prime Minister.

“Douglas Ross has always been quite a lightweight figure.

“I think the Scottish Secretary is a much more substantial and important figure in this.”

Ross previously served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland but resigned from the role in May 2020 after the Prime Minister stood by his chief adviser Dominic Cummings, who broke lockdown rules to travel 250 miles to Durham.