A CONSERVATIVE MSP has broken ranks with Douglas Ross and insisted the Prime Minister should still resign over the partygate scandal.

Scottish Tory leader Doulgas Ross, who is also an MP, initially called for Boris Johnson to quit due to the Prime Minister's role in the partygate fiasco engulfing the Conservatives at Westminster.

But days before the Scottish Conservative conference in Aberdeen, Mr Ross was ridiculed by opponents after performing a screeching U-turn, insisting that the PM should remain in post for now due to the importance of stability amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The Conservatives dropped behind Labour as the second biggest party in Scotland in terms of vote share and councillors elected in last week’s local government elections – with the finger pointed at Mr Ross for his stance on the issue.

But despite Mr Ross’ continued support for the PM to continue in office, one of his MSPs has now insisted that Mr Johnson should still quit.

North East Tory MSP Maurice Golden has said his position for the Prime Minister to resign has not changed, adding that he has “never flip-flopped".

Asked on the BBC’s Politics Scotland whether Mr Ross is safe in his job after the local election performance, Mr Golden said: “Yes of course.”

He added: “It was our second-best result in a generation. But that doesn’t mean I’m not bitterly disappointed.

“Cleary the voters were not focusing on local issues and ultimately it was partygate that people voted with, and that’s why the SNP had Boris on their bus, for example.”

Mr Golden was pressed over whether the Scottish Conservatives should change their tune again and if it was “time to flip-flip again and actually decided Boris should go”.

He said: “I’ve never flip-flopped – that's not in my nature.

“I called on the Prime Minister to resign and that remains my position.”

After last week’s local elections, Scottish Conservative local government spokesperson, Miles Briggs, told The Herald that “the anger towards the Prime Minister and his team” had been a major factor in the party’s disappointing showing at the ballot box.

Last month, Tory MSP Brian Whittle publicly stated that “the seriousness of the actions Boris Johnson and others in Downing Street during lockdown hasn’t diminished”.

He added: "When news of the lockdown parties first emerged, I said that the Prime Minister should hold himself accountable and resign. My view on that hasn’t changed.”

The SNP has accused the Conservatives of being too focused on in-fighting instead of tackling the cost-of-living crisis.

SNP MSP Rona Mackay said: "This admission from Maurice Golden just shows that the Tories are too distracted by fighting with themselves over partygate instead of tackling the cost-of-living crisis.

"Douglas Ross has flip-flopped throughout this saga and has lost all credibility within his party and with the people of Scotland. That is why the Tories suffered significant losses across the country in the local elections last week.

"Boris Johnson has broken the law and lied to the public, he must resign."