PM tells Scots: Union saved 900,000 jobs
BORIS JOHNSON will today tell Scots that being part of the Union saved 900,000 jobs north of the border and “kept the wolves at bay”.
On his first visit to Scotland since December’s general election, the Prime Minister will say the “sheer might of our Union” has helped protect Scotland during the pandemic.
Speaking ahead of his visit, Mr Johnson said the last six months demonstrated “exactly why the historic and heartfelt bond that ties the four nations of our country together is so important”. He also highlighted the groundwork carried out by the UK’S “magnificent” Armed Forces, including running mobile testing sites and transferring critically ill patients from remote Scottish communities.
Despite polls showing a surge in support for independence and Nicola Sturgeon’s approval ratings, Mr Johnson said the Union was “stronger than ever” and reaffirmed his “unwavering commitment” to defending it.
He added that the unprecedented financial support for businesses, along with an additional £4.6billion handed to the SNP government, had “kept the wolves at bay” during the crisis.
His trip to Scotland aims to increase public awareness of the extent of the support provided by the UK Government during the pandemic, amid intense frustration in No 10 that Ms Sturgeon is reaping the credit. There is increasing concern among senior Tories that the Union is in jeopardy despite the vast sums being spent to shore up the Scottish economy.
Recent polls have put support for independence at 54 per cent and suggested Ms Sturgeon was on course to win a majority in next May’s Holyrood election, placing huge pressure on Mr Johnson to agree to her demand for a second referendum.
No10 this week reiterated that Mr Johnson would continue to uphold the “decisive verdict” from the 2014 referendum by refusing a rerun.
The Prime Minister used this week’s Cabinet, the first face-to-face meeting since before lockdown, to order ministers to travel more frequently to Scotland to boost their public profiles.