London, Jan 28 (AFP/APP): Prime Minister Boris Johnson headed to Scotland on Thursday to praise the United Kingdom’s collective response to coronavirus, in a bid to counter record support for independence.
Johnson wants to highlight the British government’s role in Scotland tackling the pandemic, from deploying the army to help roll out vaccines to providing additional financial support. The visit comes with polling indicating that Scots overwhelmingly think First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP), has done a better job at handling the crisis than Johnson.
Twenty consecutive polls have suggested majority support for independence, and the SNP has published an 11-point “roadmap to a referendum” as well as a newly-formed “independence taskforce”. Johnson has insisted the last independence referendum in 2014, which saw Scots back staying in the UK by 55 to 45 percent, was a once-in-a-generation vote and repeatedly rejected calls for him to allow another vote.
As well as the backdrop of the independence issue, Johnson faces another row with Sturgeon, who has questioned if his trip breaches coronavirus lockdown rules.
Sturgeon said she was “not ecstatic” about the visit, adding that leaders should stick to the same rules as the general public about making only essential journeys.
“People like me and Boris Johnson have to be in work for reasons people understand, but we don’t have to travel across the UK. We have a duty to lead by example,” she said Wednesday.
Stay tuned to Baaghi TV for the latest news and updates!