Downing Street has hit back at suggestions by Nicola Sturgeon that the Prime Minister should not travel to Scotland during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Prime Minister’s spokesman has insisted that he be physically “visible and accessible” across the whole of the UK, despite covid travel restrictions.
With Boris Johnson expected in Scotland later this week to highlight the role of the armed forces in distributing the covid vaccine across the UK, the First Minister advised him to “work from home”.
At her daily briefing Sturgeon said she would “never would be saying that Boris Johnson is not welcome in Scotland”.
But she added: “we’re living in a global pandemic and every day right now I stand, look down the camera, and say what I’m about to say. Boris Johnson does it, I heard him as recently as yesterday - don’t travel unless it is really essential. Work from home if you possibly can.”
Asked to respond the Prime Minister’s official spokesman shot back: “It remains the fact that it is a fundamental role of the PM to be the physical representative of the UK government, and it’s right that he’s visible and accessible to communities and businesses and the public across all parts of the UK, especially during this pandemic.”
The PM’s proposed visit cropped up in the Commons during Scottish Questions on Wednesday when SNP MP Neale Hanvey attacked the Prime Minister’s visit as a “futile Union-Jackery trip to Scotland against public health advice”.
Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said the Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath MP was being “ridiculous”.
He added: “The Prime Minister is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and wherever he needs to go in his vital work against this pandemic, he will go.”
