BORIS Johnson has insisted that it’s not his fault support for independence is on the rise in Scotland.
It comes after Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross said the attitude of his party in London is “making the case for independence” more effectively than the SNP.
On the BBC’s Andrew Marr show, the Prime Minister – who also doubled down on his opposition to indyref2 – was asked if he thought the comments were aimed at him.
READ MORE: Douglas Ross hits out at UK Tory party for making the case for independence
He said: “I think he was talking about those who don’t value the Union in the way that I do. I think the Union is one of the great achievements of this country.
“And by the way, I think its value, its use, has been amply demonstrated during this crisis. Not just in the way the armed services have helped deliver tests around the country but the way the financial support for the whole UK has been delivered by the Treasury.”
It was put to Johnson that his decision to impose Brexit on Scotland and his unpopularity north of the Border was driving the case for independence.
But the Prime Minister claimed “Brexit is a huge opportunity for Scotland” and said legislation which will give Westminster oversight over key devolved areas is in fact good for devolution.
He added: “The bill that just came through the House of Commons, the Internal Market Bill, will involve the devolution of substantial powers to Scotland and elsewhere.”
FACT CHECK: Claim SNP vowed indyref was 'once in a lifetime' opportunity
Johnson was then pressed on his position on indyref2.
Marr asked: “If the SNP win a big majority in the Holyrood elections next year on a mandate for a new referendum on independence do you simply turn your back on the Scottish people and say: ‘No, you can’t have it?’”
The PM replied: “This country now has a big job of building back better from coronavirus and I don’t think, quite frankly, this is the time for us to have another referendum. We had a referendum in 2014. We were told it was a ‘once-in-a-generation’ event by the leader of the Scottish nationalist [sic] party.
“Six years it doesn’t seem to me is a generation.”
READ MORE: The dogs in the street know Boris Johnson is bluffing when it comes to indyref2
SNP depute leader Keith Brown rejected Johnson's claims about the Internal Market Bill and said his opposition to indyref2 is "unsustainable".
He told The National: "The people of Scotland simply do not trust the Westminster Tories and, after Douglas Ross's speech yesterday, it's clear the Tory leader in Scotland doesn't trust them either.
"No matter how much Boris Johnson blusters in a desperate attempt to sugarcoat his calamitous Brexit, whether it's with his low deal or no deal at all, leaving the EU will be a disaster inflicted on Scotland against our will.
"Johnson's UK Internal Market bill is not only illegal, this blatant power grab is also an egregious attack on devolution and Scottish democracy.
"Johnson knows his anti-democratic position on a second indyref is simply unsustainable and that he cannot stand in the way of the democratic right of the people of Scotland to decide our own future."
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