Boris Johnson invited to address Scottish Tory conference

Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the campaign trail with Douglas Ross

Boris Johnson will be invited to address the Scottish Conservative conference in Aberdeen next month, the party has said.

It comes after party leader Douglas Ross called on the prime minister to resign over the lockdown parties at Downing Street and Whitehall.

The Scottish Conservatives are holding their conference from 18-19 March.

It clashes with the Tories' spring conference in Blackpool so Mr Johnson may address the event virtually.

A Scottish Conservatives spokesman said: "The prime minister will be invited to address party conference, just as has been the case in any other year."

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Mr Ross was among the Tory MPs who last month wrote to the 1922 Committee chairman Sir Graham Brady seeking to trigger a no confidence vote.

The move prompted Jacob Rees-Mogg, then leader of the House, to brand Mr Ross a "lightweight" figure in the party.

But Scottish Secretary Alister Jack last week endorsed Mr Ross' leadership.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Jack said: "He's doing a very good job, he holds Nicola Sturgeon to account and he has my full backing."

'Humiliating climbdown'

SNP MP Pete Wishart described the announcement as a "humiliating climbdown for Douglas Ross".

He added: "Such an embarrassing U-turn leaves Mr Ross with egg all over his face - and will do little to counter claims by senior Tories that he is a 'lightweight' whose authority is crumbling.

"It simply isn't credible for the Scottish Tories to demand Boris Johnson's resignation one week, then invite him to give a keynote speech the next."

On Friday, Downing Street confirmed that Mr Johnson had received a legal questionnaire from Met officers investigating parties during the Covid lockdowns.

No 10 confirmed that the prime minister had been contacted by the police and said he would "respond as required".

Police are sending the questionnaire, which has the same status as information given in an interview under caution, to more than 50 people.