Moray MP has 'great integrity on his side' after quitting as junior minister over Cummings row
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Jamie Stone and other Highland politicians have welcomed the decision by Moray MP Douglas Ross to stand down as a junior minister in the UK government over the Dominic Cummings lockdown breach row.
Mr Ross, who has been Moray's Conservative MP since 2017, resigned from his post as Under Secretary of State for Scotland this morning as the fallout continued over Mr Cummings' controversial journey to Durham to self-isolate during the pandemic.
The actions of Boris Johnson's special adviser have sparked furious criticism from across the political spectrum – and have led to growing pressure on the Prime Minister to fire him.
Mr Stone, the Liberal Democrat MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, said: "On a personal level I am sorry to see Douglas go.
"Friendship sometimes transcends party political differences – and Douglas is such a friend, one who also happened to be an exceptionally able minister.
"But Douglas has youth, ability and, hugely important in politics, great integrity on his side. I suspect that this is by no means the last we have seen of him. I wish him well."
Mr Ross, in his resignation statement this morning, said that Mr Cummings' "interpretation of the government advice was not shared by the vast majority of people who have done as the government asked" during lockdown restrictions.
He added: "I have constituents who didn't get to say goodbye to loved ones; families who could not mourn together; people who didn't visit sick relatives because they followed the guidance of the government. I cannot in good faith tell them they were all wrong and one senior adviser to the government was right."
Ian Blackford, the SNP MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber, said: "This will have been a difficult decision to make and I respect Douglas Ross for taking it.
"This issue transcends politics. It is about protecting trust and confidence in the public health advice. The Prime Minister must remove Dominic Cummings from his post without further delay."
Drew Hendry, the SNP MP for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey, said: "Credit to Douglas for doing the right thing."
Mr Johnson tried to draw a line under the matter after Mr Cummings gave a lengthy public statement on Monday afternoon, during which he set out his reasoning but refused to apologise for his actions.
Critics have warned that Mr Cummings' 264-mile journey from London to Durham sends out the wrong signal to the public, amid fears it might encourage other people to travel long distances to self-isolate in second homes or areas where Covid-19 is less prevalent.
Douglas Ross's full resignation statement:
"I have just tendered my resignation from the UK government and my position at Under Secretary of State for Scotland.
"Following my re-election as MP for Moray last December I was honoured to be asked by the Prime Minister to join his government and take on this role in the Scotland Office. It is a position I have relished and one I've committed to wholeheartedly since my appointment. There was much I still hoped to do in this role but events over the last few days mean I can no longer serve as a member of this government.
"I have never met Dominic Cummings so my judgement on this matter has always been open and I accept his statement on Monday afternoon clarified the actions he took in what he felt were the best interests of his family. However, these were decisions many others felt were not available to them.
"As a father myself, my instinct is to always do what is best for my son and wife. We have been fortunate not to have caught this awful virus but if we did, we are prepared to follow the government advice and stay at home to contain the virus.
"While the intentions may have been well-meaning, the reaction to this news shows that Mr Cummings' interpretation of the government advice was not shared by the vast majority of people who have done as the government asked.
"I have constituents who didn't get to say goodbye to loved ones; families who could not mourn together; people who didn't visit sick relatives because they followed the guidance of the government. I cannot in good faith tell them they were all wrong and one senior adviser to the government was right.
"This is not a decision I have reached quickly. I have waited to hear all of the information and thought long and hard over this. I realise both the immediate and long-term implications of my decision to resign from government.
"While it has been a great privilege to serve as a minister, my first duty is to be a representative and I feel I can best represent my Moray constituents and many across the country who have expressed their feelings about this by resigning as a minister.
"I look forward to continuing to stand up for the people of Moray from the back benches."
