Boris Johnson has branded Nicola Sturgeon’s plans for a second Scottish independence referendum as “irrelevant”.
Johnson said the Covid crisis was a reason to keep the UK together and pointed to the vaccine rollout as an example of the four nations working together.
Sturgeon has hinted at holding a second vote early next year if the SNP wins a majority in this May’s Holyrood elections.
Johnson, however, has branded the move “complete in-apposite, irrelevant, uncalled for and unnecessary”.
He told The Sun newspaper: “The value of the Union has been massively underscored during this pandemic.
“I think most people looking at the way the UK has responded with the vaccine rollout can see the huge value of us working together as one United Kingdom.
“The UK armed forces and NHS distribution of the vaccine throughout one country has been fantastic,” he added.
Asked to comment on the Alex Salmond inquiry, Johnson said: “I think the biggest lesson I take from all this is that it’s important in these times to focus on the issues that really matter to the people of Britain.
“The more I read about other stuff, the more convinced I am that that’s what we should focus on.”
Johnson said he believed Scots wanted “a government that focuses on their needs for education, fighting crime, governing sensibly with sensible policies on taxation and everything else.”
“I don’t see that from the Scottish National Party. I don’t see that at all and I’d rather hold them to account for that,” he said.
Johnson added: “The idea of having a referendum now, is absolutely extraordinary.
“Or having a referendum, anytime in the foreseeable future, given what this country’s just been through and what we’ve got to do.”
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