THE SNP have invited the “privileged” Prime Minister to visit Scotland again to learn more about the devastating impact of the coal mining closures he laughed about while north of the Border this week.

The party’s chief whip, Owen Thompson, said he had been “appalled” to hear Boris Johnson’s claim that Margaret Thatcher’s closure of coal mines had given the UK “a big head start” in its transition to greener energy.

Thompson was not alone, with politicians from across the spectrum deriding Johnson for his “joke”. Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford accused the Prime Minister of “celebrating” the closures which had caused incalculable damage to communities in his nation.

READ MORE: Boris Johnson refuses to apologise for 'offensive' coal mines comment

However, Johnson’s official spokesperson refused to apologise for the remarks, instead only repeating that he “recognises the huge impact and pain closing coal mines had”.

Thompson has now invited Johnson to his constituency to visit Scotland’s National Mining Museum.

In a letter sent on Friday, the SNP MP says: “Perhaps by coming to Midlothian and speaking to people involved directly it would convince you not just to apologise for your insensitive comments but of the need for a long overdue inquiry into the policing of the miners’ strikes, and to finally begin the process of healing the wounds.”

Thompson says that Johnson’s comments on the colliery closures “display either a breathtaking ignorance of the impact of pit closures on thousands of families and communities across the UK, or even worse, an utter lack of concern for the devastation it caused".

He goes on: “I appreciate that your privileged background may make it difficult to understand the impact of the sudden loss of your livelihood on working people, so I would like to invite you to Midlothian to learn first-hand from ex-miners and their families about the devastating effect of the decisions taken by Margaret Thatcher’s government in the 80s on communities here.

“It would also enable a visit to the National Mining Museum of Scotland, to learn more about the history of the industry, the lives of miners and indeed the importance of unions as a collective voice to protect workers from exploitation.

READ MORE: How Boris Johnson's smug coal mines quip fatally misunderstands history

“The proud coal-mining communities of Midlothian were devastated during Margaret Thatcher’s era, and I am sure the motivation was not to clean up the environment. Pits were run down and closed with nothing but promises of the dole queue to replace them.

“Long and bitter disputes during the miners’ strikes, and the poverty and suffering they caused, were entirely avoidable. Instead, the Government at the time seemed to be itching for a fight with the unions, and they certainly got one.”

Sharing Thompson’s letter on Twitter, the SNP’s Westminster leader Ian Blackford added: “If he had any decency, @BorisJohnson would come back to Scotland to visit our mining communities and apologise in person for his offensive comments.”