Scotland Times

Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

Boris Johnson 'called Scottish devolution disaster'

Boris Johnson 'called Scottish devolution disaster'

Boris Johnson described devolution in Scotland a "disaster" during a meeting with Conservative MPs, one of those taking part has told the BBC.
Mr Johnson also reportedly described it as predecessor Tony Blair's "biggest mistake".

The SNP has criticised Mr Johnson's reported comments.

But government sources suggested the prime minister had been making "more of a reference" to the SNP's running of Scotland than devolution in general.

Mr Johnson was in a Zoom meeting with Tory MPs representing dozens of seats in northern England on Monday when he is said to have made the remarks.

The Sun newspaper reported the PM had told the MPs "devolution has been a disaster north of the border".

Mr Blair's Labour government brought in devolution for Scotland in 1999, including the setting up of a parliament in Edinburgh.

A Downing Street source: "The PM has always supported devolution, but Tony Blair failed to foresee the rise of separatists in Scotland."Devolution is great - but not when it's used by separatists and nationalists to break up the UK."

Elections for the Scottish Parliament take place next May.

Ms Sturgeon's SNP says a second referendum on independence - following Scotland's vote against it in 2014 - should happen if her party wins. But Mr Johnson has ruled this out.

In response Mr Johnson's reported remarks to Tory MPs, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: "Worth bookmarking these PM comments for the next time Tories say they're not a threat to the powers of the Scottish Parliament - or, even more incredibly, that they support devolving more powers."

She added that the "only way to protect and strengthen" the Scottish Parliament was through independence for Scotland.

But the leader of the Scottish Conservatives, Douglas Ross, tweeted: "Devolution has not been a disaster. The SNP's non-stop obsession with another referendum - above jobs, schools and everything else - has been a disaster."

It has been suggested by some taking part in the MPs' Zoom meeting that Mr Johnson was answering a question that had been put to him about devolution in England.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Scotland Times
0:00
0:00
Close
UK Island Orkney council to look at proposals to become territory of Norway
Woman Awarded Over £100,000 After Being Fired for Transgender Tweet
A provocative study suggests: Left-Wing Extremism and its Unsettling Connection to Psychopathy and Narcissism
A Real woman
Brand new security footage has just been released to the public showing the Active shooter Audrey Elizabeth Hale drove to Covenant Church School in her Honda Fit this morning, parked, and shot her way into the building
China's foreign ministry branch in Hong Kong urges British gov't to stop the biased and double standards Hong Kong report
Double standards: UK lawmakers attack EU chief over Ireland claims
Democracy? Not for UK. UK PM rejects Scottish independence referendum, cancel democracy in BVI
UK urged to brace for economic storm
Women's own body dissatisfaction appears to influence their judgment of other women's body sizes
Prince William To Move Family Into Cottage Near Queen Elizabeth II
BOOOOOOS: Tony Blair receives royal honour
Captured Britons sentenced to death in Ukraine
Barbados PM Mia A. Mottley among Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People
Today's headlines
"Just One Of the Boys In School:" Years That Shaped Prince Charles
BVI Premier Rubbishes Claim Of Causing COI Delay
Comments on "Human Intelligence in a Digital Age" - A brilliant Speech by MI6 Chief Richard Moore, and the elephants neglected in the room
Bitcoin: BoE Deputy Gov wants to cancel democracy and protect the banks with regulations which infringe on people’s freedom, independence and benefits they get from their own money.
What are the Pandora Papers?
Taiwan-China relations at their 'worst in 40 years'
The attempt to hold Epik.com accountable for the content of its clients' websites is like blaming Gutenberg for the NYT's fake news that dragged the US into the pointless war against the nuclear weapons Iraq never had
×