Boris Johnson is “leading from the front” by visiting Scotland to talk up the benefits of United Kingdom co-operation in tackling the coronavirus crisis, Michael Gove has claimed.
The Prime Minister’s cabinet ally defended the flying visit during lockdown despite First Minister Nicola Sturgeon criticising it as “not essential”.
Gove, the Cabinet Office Minister, said: “The Prime Minister has a responsibility and a role to make sure the vaccine roll-out is proceeding appropriately, to thank those on the front line, NHS professionals and those in the British Army who are making sure things work well.”
“It’s absolutely right, the Prime Minister should be there talking to those who are involved in that effort. He is, after all, leader of the whole United Kingdom.”
Gove added: “The Prime Minister has been welcomed everywhere that he’s gone. Because people recognize that he’s leading from the front and it’s also the case, as we know, with a vaccine. Overall, that the United Kingdom has been at the forefront in Europe of rolling out that vaccine, but it’s always the case that we can do better.”
The SNP has accused the PM of unnecessary travel in the middle of the pandemic to promote, according to one MP, “Union Jackery”.
In an effort to blunt Nicola Sturgeon’s demands for a second independence referendum the PM will arrive armed with a long list of achievements, from the vaccine development in Oxford to the furlough payments for 900,000 Scots workers, as proof of the Union working for Scotland.
Ahead of his visit Johnson said: “The great benefits of cooperation across the whole of the UK have never been clearer than since the beginning of this pandemic. We have pulled together to defeat the virus, providing £8.6 billion to the Scottish Government to support public services whilst also protecting the jobs of more than 930,000 citizens in Scotland.
“We have a vaccine programme developed in labs in Oxford being administered across the United Kingdom by our Armed Forces, who are helping to establish 80 new vaccine centres across Scotland. That’s how we are delivering for the people of Scotland so we can ensure the strongest possible recovery from the virus.”
While the focus of the visit will be on the pandemic, the campaigning message from Johnson will be against Sturgeon’s plans for a second independence referendum if the SNP secure a majority in May’s Scottish elections.
As well as refusing powers to stage a referendum the PM is expected to drive home the message that the SNP’s aim is the wrong priority.
Gove said the SNP was indulging in a “side issue” in campaigning for independence.
He said: “I’m not even thinking about that. Anyone talking about the referendum, at this point, is perhaps not focusing with 100 per cent energy and attention on dealing with the pandemic and making sure we get those vaccines into people’s arms and preparing for the economic recovery that as a country we need.”
