BORIS Johnson arrived at Glasgow Airport in a military plane this morning to kick off his one-day visit to promote the Union.
The Prime Minister’s visit comes after 20 consecutive polls put support for independence as the majority position in Scotland.
His presence in Scotland was questioned by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who stressed that we are living in a global pandemic.
READ MORE: Boris Johnson Scotland visit: Labour's Sir Keir Starmer jumps to PM's defense
Currently trips between Scotland and England are banned unless for essential purposes. Travelling for work is allowed, though it should be work that cannot be done from home.
Sturgeon said the rules “apply to all of us” and asked how essential his pro-Union visit to Scotland is.
Quite fitting that he arrived using a military plane.
— Marcus Carslaw (@marcuscarslaw1) January 28, 2021
Rebellious Scots to crush pic.twitter.com/ccdeoMihYE
This morning Johnson touched down at Glasgow Airport in a ZE708 Royal Air Force aircraft. The BAE146 is primarily used to transport senior government ministers and MoD personnel, as well as senior members of the royal family.
On social media pro-independence supporters commented on Johnson’s choice of transport.
“Quite fitting that he arrived using a military plane,” wrote Marcus Carslaw. “Rebellious Scots to crush.”
Ross Colquhoun responded with a clip of the Star Wars Imperial March.
Iain Docherty wrote: “Optics, optics ... I really have no idea what he's trying to achieve with this.”
After touching down Johnson headed to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital campus, where he visited the Lighthouse Lab used for processing PCR samples.
As the Prime Minister arrived, SNP Commons spokesman Tommy Sheppard said that Boris Johnson is “more than capable of patronising us from his office in Whitehall”.
He told MPs: “I would like to ask for a debate on the role of Government ministers and the Prime Minister in particular in setting an example by following the rules which they make for others during the lockdown.
“I know of course that every time the Prime Minister opens his mouth on the subject, his ill-informed views drive support for Scottish independence upwards and I know also that his stage-managed visits to selected Scottish supporters make the SNP’s case for it.
“So in normal circumstances, he would be most welcome, but these are not normal circumstances. We are telling millions of people not to leave their homes and only to make essential journeys.
READ MORE: Even without 'losing' Scotland, Boris Johson is the worst Prime Minister ever
“The Prime Minister is more than capable of patronising us from his office in Whitehall. So what exactly is so essential about his thousand mile-round trip to Livingston today?
“This gallivanting is a blatant piece of electioneering while most are focused on fighting Covid. But the real tragedy is that his actions will undermine the public health message which we all need to succeed.”
Johnson is using the trip to promote the Union's role in responding to the pandemic.
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