PM is harming Union, Scottish Tory leader says

BORIS Johnson is harming the Unionist cause, the Scottish Tory party leader said yesterday as he claimed Nicola Sturgeon is a better communicator than the Prime Minister.

Douglas Ross said “most objective people” would say the First Minister, who holds a briefing every weekday, has communicated better with the public during the pandemic than Mr Johnson,

The Prime Minister has recorded dismal approval ratings in a series of opinion polls, while Ms Sturgeon’s figures, along with support for independence, have surged in recent months.

Pressed whether Mr Johnson harmed the case for the Union, Mr Ross said: “You can’t say that the people of Scotland are absolutely wrong in their ratings for their various leaders.”

His incendiary intervention came hours after he gave a keynote speech in which he said that Scots had turned to independence after becoming “alienated” by the UK Government’s “winner takes all” approach to Brexit.

The Scottish Tory leader accused the Government of considering only the views of Brexit supporters and ignoring Remain voters north of the border, who still feel “aggrieved” at the 2016 referendum result. He said this had created the “perception that Scotland and England no longer share common values” and warned “the outlet for that anger and frustration is the SNP”.

Mr Ross urged the Prime Minister to focus on “healing” the divide.

A major poll last week found Scottish voters’ “loathing” for the Prime Minister was the main factor behind the surge in support for independence, while 84 per cent of swing voters said the UK Government had handled the pandemic badly and 74 per cent said the Scottish Government had performed well.