The National:

A PARTY political broadcast from the Scottish Conservatives talking about "working with our neighbours" came at an awkward time for the Tory party.

The broadcast played after the STV News and Reporting Scotland on the BBC on a day when unity amongst the Conservatives was about as far from the truth as Boris Johnson likes to live.

A revelation about a boozy gathering that the Tory PM's personal private secretary invited more than 100 people to in the Downing Street garden at the height of lockdown in May 2020 caused anger amongst many, including Tories north of the Border.

Boris Johnson gave an apology for attending the party to the House of Commons before PMQs on Wednesday and then proceeded to face continuous calls to resign in the chamber from opposition politicians.

His own party had less to say on the subject, but Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross made his views clearer later in the day after saying on Tuesday that the PM should step down if he attended the party.

READ MORE: Douglas Ross calls for Boris Johnson to step down amid No 10 party scandals

News bulletins were filled with Johnson's apology and Ross's statement calling for the PM to resign.

The party political broadcast that ran after the dinnertime bulletins features Ross opening it up with claims that the SNP is not focusing on Covid recovery, saying that "they will always be distracted by their first, last and only priority: breaking up OUR country".

It then goes on to see West Scotland MSP Pam Gosal talk about needing a focus on jobs and she says: "If we work together, using the strength and security of the United Kingdom, we can get through this economic crisis stronger. 

"We need a real alternative to the SNP that will work with Scotland's neighbours in the rest of the UK, not against them."

That's a fun soundbite but definitely requires the rest of the UK to work with you and unfortunately, it doesn't seem like the UK Government makes much of Scottish Tory opinions.

Michael Gove was reported to have said that Ross's opinion on Johnson's position didn't matter because "he's in Elgin and the national Tory leader is in London". Ross was speaking to STV from Holyrood.

That certainly sounds like a party with the ability to work with its neighbours!

READ MORE: Michael Gove belittles Douglas Ross and all the Scots Tories with one snide comment

Concluding the broadcast with a tired party line, Ross says the Tories are the "real alternative to remove the SNP from power".

That statement rings about as hollow for Scottish voters as Douglas's call for his Tory boss to step down does in Westminster which has been backed by a significant number of his colleagues.

It has been an awkward day for the Scottish Tories, who were quiet on all fronts until the PM apologised and then Ross had to - finally - stand by his convictions.

He did so and was roundly ignored which could give the Scottish Tories an indication that maybe they want to get independence from the UK party.

We'll see if unity in the wider Conservative party is forthcoming or if it is the backbench 1922 Committee that actually runs the show.

Since Ross's statement calling for the PM's resignation was backed by most of his party north of the Border, maybe they'll see that there's a way they can make their own decisions without being told what to do by the charlatans in Westminster ...

If you want to watch the full party political broadcast, click here.