UK Government "will find Lord Keen's replacement"

Douglas Ross, the leader of the Scottish Conservative Party, said today that the UK Government will be able to find a new senior law officer for Scotland.

Mr Ross said he believed there would be a "number of good candidates" to replace Lord Keen as Advocate General, despite claims that the Government might struggle to find the right individual.

Lord Keen resigned over new post-Brexit legislation, which ministers admit would break international law.

In his resignation letter to Boris Johnson, he said: “Over the past week I have found it increasingly difficult to reconcile what I consider to be my obligations as a Law Officer with your policy intentions with respect to the UKIM [United Kingdom Internal Market] Bill. I have endeavoured to identify a respectable argument for the provisions at clauses 42 to 45 of the Bill but it is now clear that this will not meet your policy intentions.

"In these circumstances I consider that it is my duty to tender my resignation from your Government.

"Your Government faces challenges on a number of fronts and I fear that the UKIM Bill in its present form will not make these any easier.

"I wish you well in dealing with these issues.”