Covid ‘proves Union is vital’

Prime Minister hails UK-wide response as he sets out plan for a return to normality

THE Union has ‘proved its worth’ by shouldering the burden of the Covid-19 pandemic, Boris Johnson said yesterday.

The Prime Minister said he did not want to see the United Kingdom broken up, as he praised the nation’s resilience in the face of the coronavirus crisis.

He also hailed the ‘might of the UK Treasury’ which has supported nearly 900,000 Scots during lockdown. Mr Johnson said he was ‘conscious people will want to make divisions,’ but claimed it was ‘quite right’ the devolved nations could take differing approaches to dealing with the pandemic.

He added: ‘But there is absolutely no doubt the Union has proved its worth during this crisis, time and time again.

‘It’s the oldest, most successful political partnership in the world and we certainly don’t want to see it broken up.’

Mr Johnson’s comments come only days after Nicola Sturgeon accused him of launching a ‘full scale assault on devolution’.

The Prime Minister said there had been ‘very close collaboration’ between the four UK nations during the pandemic – despite different approaches in relaxing lockdown.

A recent Sunday Times poll revealed that support for independence had hit 54 per cent, with the SNP set to win a majority at next year’s Holyrood election. Asked about the poll, Mr Johnson said: ‘When you look at what’s happened during this crisis, there has been very good, and very close, collaboration across the UK between the public health authorities and scientific and medical officers.

‘It’s thanks to the strength of the Union, I would say, we’ve had the response we’ve been able to muster as one whole United Kingdom, whether that’s our armed services bringing testing kits across the whole country, taking people in remote parts of Scotland to testing centres, or the might of the UK Treasury in getting the furlough scheme up and running across the whole of the UK.’

Mr Johnson yesterday unveiled plans for a ‘significant return to normality’ by Christmas, with further easing of lockdown restrictions in England. Limitations on the use of public transport have been lifted south of the Border, while firms will be encouraged to bring more staff back into the office.

At a press conference, held in

Downing Street, Mr Johnson raised concerns over NHS services in the coming months as medics deal with the ‘usual winter pressures’ as well as coronavirus. He announced an additional £3billion for the health service, with the funds being made available immediately – with Scotland set to benefit financially too.

Mr Johnson said: ‘It is possible that the virus will be more virulent in the winter months.’

As well as £4.6billion in Barnett Consequentials during the pandemic, Scotland has benefited from a series of other UK-wide schemes.

The latest figures show that 750,000 Scots have been helped by the Job Retention Scheme after being furloughed during lockdown, with more than 100,000 self-employed people also relying on UK schemes.

In Scotland, there are 215,200 people claiming job seeker’s allowance and out of work universal credit – up from 111,000 in March.

Mr Johnson also said English councils will be given powers allowing them to impose targeted lockdowns but it is unclear if Miss Sturgeon will look at a similar approach.

Kirsten Oswald, the SNP’s Westminster deputy leader, claimed the Prime Minister’s remarks showed he was ‘rattled’ by public opinion.

She said: ‘The SNP Government is getting on with the job of suppressing the virus and protecting public health. It is the Tories who are putting Scottish jobs at risk by threatening to withdraw furlough and support schemes too soon. If they do so, and also refuse to give Scotland the powers needed to do the job ourselves, then support for independence will just keep on rising higher and higher.’

Comment – Page 16

‘Close collaboration across the UK’