London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Oct 22, 2025

PM Boris Johnson says virus response shows 'might of UK union'

The response to the coronavirus pandemic has shown the "sheer might" of the UK union, Boris Johnson has said ahead of a visit to Scotland.

But the SNP said the prime minister's visit showed he was "in a panic" about rising support for Scots independence.

Mr Johnson will be in Scotland on Thursday to meet local members of the armed forces and their families.

He said troops had done "vital work" to support the NHS during the pandemic and praised Treasury job retention schemes.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she had no plans to meet Mr Johnson during his visit, but said she would continue work with his government on the "immediate priority" of tackling coronavirus.

Mr Johnson's visit comes on the one-year anniversary of him taking office as UK prime minister.

He said he had "pledged to be a prime minister for every corner of the United Kingdom", and said the response to the pandemic had shown his government's commitment to the whole of the UK.

He said: "The last six months have shown exactly why the historic and heartfelt bond that ties the four nations of our country together is so important and the sheer might of our union has been proven once again.

"In Scotland, the UK's magnificent armed forces have been on the ground doing vital work to support the NHS, from setting up and running mobile testing sites to airlifting critically ill patients to hospitals from some of Scotland's most remote communities.

"And the UK Treasury stepped in to save the jobs of a third of Scotland's entire workforce and kept the wolves at bay for tens of thousands of Scottish businesses.

"More than ever, this shows what we can achieve when we stand together, as one United Kingdom."

Although the whole of the UK entered lockdown in the same week, each constituent part has eased restrictions in a different way and at a different rate.

Phase 3 of Scotland's route map out of lockdown began last week, as pubs, restaurants, hairdressers and barbers were allowed to reopen.

Restaurants, pubs and cafes have been allowed to reopen in England since 4 July, along with holiday accommodation - including hotels, B&Bs, cottages, campsites and caravan parks.

Hairdressers have also reopened, as have libraries, community centres, bingo halls, cinemas, museums, galleries, funfairs and theme parks, children's play parks and amusement arcades.

Professional football has also resumed behind closed doors.


Local development

Mr Johnson is also to set out details of a £50m funding package for Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles, the latest in a series of "city and region deals" which see the Scottish and UK governments each pledge cash to various areas for spending on new infrastructure and local development schemes.

The Scottish government is also committing £50m to the "Islands growth deal", which will target sectors including tourism, energy and skills.

At Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, the SNP's Westminster leader Ian Blackford said Mr Johnson was visiting due to recent polls suggesting support for independence was on the rise.

He said: "Yesterday the Tory party held a political cabinet with the prime minister in a panic about the majority in increasing support for Scottish independence. Apparently their great strategy amounts to more UK cabinet ministers coming to Scotland.

"Can I tell the prime minister - the more Scotland sees of this UK government, the more convinced they are the need for Scotland's independence."

Mr Blackford's comments echoed a joke Ms Sturgeon had posted on Twitter, suggesting that Mr Johnson visiting Scotland would amount to a birthday present for her.

At her coronavirus briefing on Wednesday, the first minister said she had "no plans" to meet Mr Johnson on this trip, but is "always happy to meet the prime minister if he wants to do so".

She added: "We're all very focused on the immediate priority of continuing to suppress Covid and I look forward to working with the UK government on that basis.

"We have got our political disagreements, and disagreements over aspects of Scotland and the UK's future, and I'm sure we'll continue to discuss those constructively as well."

Ms Sturgeon has previously suggested that her government's response to the pandemic was helping convince Scots of the merits of independence.

In an interview with Scotland on Sunday marking her 50th birthday, she said: "As we have stopped shouting about independence, and shouting to ourselves about how we go about getting independence, and just focused on [dealing with the crisis] - it has allowed people to take a step back and say 'well actually that's the benefit of autonomous decision-making' and also 'perhaps things would be better if we had a bit more autonomous decision-making,' and to come to their own conclusions."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
‘Frightening’ First Night in Prison for Sarkozy: Inmates Riot and Shout ‘Little Nicolas’
White House Announces No Imminent Summit Between Trump and Putin
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
Dutch Government Seizes Chipmaker After U.S. Presses for Removal of Chinese CEO
×