Prime Minister sacks the Secretary of State for Scotland

Only this morning Labour MP for Edinburgh South Ian Murray asked in the Houses of Parliament : “The new Prime Minister’s election yesterday means that the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party are now the Scottish Conservative and Brexit Party, abandoning Unionism.
“So isn’t it the case that the new Prime Minister is as big a threat to the Union, if not a bigger threat to the Union, than any nationalist?
“What is the Secretary of State for Scotland going to do about it?”

Well it turns out it won’t be much.

This afternoon, David Mundell has been sacked as Secretary of State for Scotland by the new Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Mr Mundell told me a few weeks ago at the Royal Highland Show that he thought he might be ‘out of a job soon anyway’.

Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland, Lesley Laird MP, said: “Instead of departing with dignity David Mundell has been kicked out of the Cabinet by Boris Johnson.
“David Mundell’s time in the Scotland Office will be remembered for his spineless failure to stand up for our country’s interests instead of his party’s.
“The only job he cared about saving was his own, and in the end he couldn’t even manage that.”

Ian Murray, Labour MP and former Shadow Scottish Secretary, said this evening: “David Mundell was a tough and fair opponent who worked tirelessly to rein in the extreme elements of his party and stood up for Scotland’s place in the UK around the Cabinet table.
“He deserves our thanks for his public service and did not deserve to be brutally sacked by Boris Johnson like this.
“This confirms our worst fears that the new Prime Minister is building a hardline Brexiteer Cabinet and the Conservative and Unionist Party has given up on Unionism. We now have nationalist leaders in Downing Street and in Bute House at the very time we should be building bridges, not creating barriers.”

It does not seem that Mr Mundell is too worried however….

Labour MP for Edinburgh South Ian Murray said:
“The new Prime Minister’s election yesterday means that the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party are now the Scottish Conservative and Brexit Party, abandoning Unionism.
“So isn’t it the case that the new Prime Minister is as big a threat to the Union, if not a bigger threat to the Union, than any nationalist?
“What is the Secretary of State for Scotland going to do about it?”