Interim Scots Tory leader Jackson Carlaw is right about Brexit – John McLellan

The decision made by Jackson Carlaw, interim leader of the Scottish Conservatives, to abandon Ruth Davidson’s opposition to a no-deal Brexit is better than the alternative, writes John McLellan.

Interim Scottish Conservative leader Jackson Carlaw (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Down in Manchester for the Conservative conference, the mood, it may surprise readers to know, was relatively upbeat, but our political opponents have been quick to claim that the interim Scottish leader Jackson Carlaw’s position on delivering Brexit by October 31 is a disaster.

That remains to be seen, as it were, but the fact is that a million Scots voted to leave the EU and as it stands none of the other parties at Holyrood or Westminster represent them and not all of them were Conservative supporters.

I voted Remain, but that’s an awful lot of potential support to ignore.

In fielding questions from the press, Mr Carlaw has been accused of making policy on the hoof but from a party perspective it’s the right response and the alternative a much higher risk strategy.