BORIS Johnson has claimed to have a “very good relationship” with Ruth Davidson despite the Scottish Tory leader snubbing him three times in the race to be the next Prime Minister.
Mr Johnson – who is the favourite to win the keys to Number 10 – said he was “delighted to have strong support from excellent Scottish MPs”, and insisted delivering Brexit will strengthen the Union.
It comes after it emerged the majority of Tory MSPs in Holyrood are expected to back his rival Jeremy Hunt. Only one, Margaret Mitchell, is supporting Mr Johnson.
Meanwhile, four of the party’s 13 Scottish MPs have declared for the former London Mayor.
In an interview with the grassroots Conservative Home website, Mr Johnson was asked whether he accepted his candidacy is a problem for the Scottish Tories and the Union.
He replied: “Well I’m delighted to have strong support from excellent Scottish MPs. I have a very good relationship with Ruth Davidson indeed.”
Told Ms Davidson was previously against him, he said: “Well, actually we have a very good relationship.”
The Scottish Tory leader is seen as a key critic of Mr Johnson and has consistently backed his rivals in the Tory leadership race.
She initially threw her weight behind Home Secretary Sajid Javid before later supporting Environment Secretary Michael Gove.
She has now endorsed Mr Hunt, writing on Twitter: “Any Conservative leadership candidate must put the Union first. Jeremy has done so and will get my vote.”
Ms Davidson, who campaigned in 2016 for Remain against Mr Johnson, the leader of the Leave campaign, has previously said he is not truthful or serious enough about Brexit.
But Mr Johnson told Conservative Home he was proud that several Scottish colleagues are now openly backing him.
He said: “And I would just make one point about the Union. I think the Union will be greatly strengthened by getting Brexit done in a sensible way.
“And if I were thinking in Scotland about who I want to govern the country, my country, Scotland, and if I were looking at the Government of the United Kingdom, and it totally failed to deliver on this essential request from the British people, and it couldn’t even do that, I would think well why am I being governed from London.
“On the other hand, once we get Brexit done, there’ll be lots of things we can do to cement and strengthen the Union, to champion the Union between England and Scotland, and the Union between Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Union with Wales.
“There are all sorts of ways in which we can show the value of the awesome foursome and take it forward.”
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