Boris Johnson attempt to woo Scotland falls flat

Johnson’s attempts to woo the Scots are brushed aside by First Minister who labels his government “dangerous’’ to Scotland.

Boris Johnson with Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at Bute House. Picture: AFP.

Boris Johnson’s attempts to woo the Scots with some of his £300m pot for “growth deals’’ to help bind the United Kingdom have been brushed aside by Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon who labelled his new government “dangerous’’ to Scotland.

Mr Johnson arrived to boos outside Bute House in Edinburgh and the protestors’ dissatisfaction only intensified after the new British Prime Minister rejected any suggestion of a new Scottish independence referendum in an exchanged described by Ms Sturgeon as “lively’’.

Mr Johnson then had to leave by the back door to avoid the noisy protests.

Speaking at the Faslane submarine facility at Clyde, host of one of the country’s biggest naval bases, Mr Johnson said the earlier referendum in 2014 had been “a once in a generation consultation of the people”.

“The confidence of the public in politicians would be undermined even further if we were to go back on that,” he said.

Mr Johnson repeated his message that the United Kingdom would leave the European Union on October 31, with or without an EU deal. To help Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales prepare for no deal, Mr Johnson has begun a whistle stop tour of the UK to discuss how a £300m funding boost can boost their economies.

Mr Johnson said: "I don’t want the UK to be aloof or hanging back, but the backstop is dead, it’s got to go; the withdrawal agreement is dead, it’s got to go.’’

No talks with the EU are planned, until the EU signals that it is willing to discuss a new withdrawal agreement by ditching the Irish backstop.

Ms Sturgeon said: “This is a government that is pursuing a no-deal strategy, however much they might deny that in public.”

“Behind all of the bluff and bluster, this is a government that is dangerous. The path that it is pursuing is a dangerous one, for Scotland, but for all of the UK. He says that he wants a deal with the EU but there is no clarity whatsoever about how he thinks he can get (to that) from the position now, where he’s taking a very hard line.’’

Ms Sturgeon said Mr Johnson’s refusal to talk to the EU unless the backstop is removed was that he either wants a no-deal or is pretty relaxed about a no-deal Brexit.

“The only strategy you can get from him is that he thinks the EU is going to blink. But the EU has been very consistent in the position it’s taken, its been very united. If you’re pinning the entire strategy on the belief that suddenly that’s going to change, then that’s doomed to failure, or it’s a strategy that’s destined to fail because you actually want the alternative which is a no-deal Brexit.”

Foreign minister Dominic Raab said if a no deal eventuated it would be the fault of the stubborn EU. He also sent a message to Brussels saying it was not the only game in town for trade pacts, and that under a no-deal the country would strengthen ties with the United States, in Asia and in Latin America.

Mr Johnson later spoke to Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, vowing there would not be any new physical border checks after Brexit.

Meanwhile in London, Michael Gove chaired the first meeting of the Exit Strategy (XS) committee to deal with the leaving preparations.