Scottish MP steps down as Conservative vice-chairman

Scottish MP Andrew Bowie is to quit as a vice-chairman of the Conservative Party, saying he wants to focus on his constituency.

The move comes after a week of turmoil at Westminster over the government's handling of a row over MPs having second jobs.

But Mr Bowie - one of a number of Tory vice-chairs - said he had been considering his position for months.

He said he would remain in the post until a successor is found.

Mr Bowie has been MP for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine since 2017. He became a vice-chairman of the Conservative Party in 2019, and his register of interests at Westminster noted that the post "carries a part-time salary".

He said he had been "honoured" to hold the post, but said that "over the last few months I have come to the decision that I need to take a step back from the demands of the role to focus on representing my constituents".

He added: "I formally asked the party yesterday if I could step back from my position and I will remain in post until they have found a successor."

This is a curious one.

The Conservative Party says Mr Bowie has not resigned, but has asked to step back from his role - although the distinction between those two things is not really clear to me.

When it comes to the Owen Paterson case last week, he voted with the government to put on hold Mr Paterson's suspension pending a review of the investigation process, that's what prompted the backlash that has led to more than a week of headlines around parliamentary sleaze.

Mr Bowie is insisting that his decision is not connected to that, and that he does have full confidence in the prime minister and the government.

What has happened is the government has opened a huge can of worms, and this seems to me to be an escalating controversy and one that might be difficult to contain.

There is intense scrutiny on the conduct of all MPs and particularly those who have second jobs.