SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford called on the Prime Minister to confirm if there was any “new money to support businesses”, accusing him of “smoke and mirrors”.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Treasury pledged “further, additional funding for the Scottish Government” to help fight the fast-spreading Omicron variant.
The statement was released just as Nicola Sturgeon delivered her Covid update to Holyrood and she had not been informed about it.
The UK Government later clarified that the cash would have come to Scotland anyway in the new year.
READ MORE: Omicron: Nicola Sturgeon to attend urgent Cobra meeting on Wednesday
Despite that, a spokesperson for the Treasury insisted the cash is "additional" as it represents "money that they will be able to spend before early next year".
The MP Ross, Skye and Lochaber said: “The public understands the threat that Omicron poses to all our people and to our NHS, (but) we saw from last night’s vote, the Tories might be privileged enough to live in denial about this danger, but the rest of us have the responsibility to live in the real world.
“That means increasing public health measures and increasing financial support for businesses and workers.
"The Scottish Government is delivering £100 million from our fixed budget to support businesses but we all know that more is needed.
“Yesterday the UK Government put out a press release saying that new financial support was coming, but last night the Treasury U-turned saying no new money was available. So Prime Minister which is it, is there any new money to support businesses or was it all just smoke and mirrors once again?”
READ MORE: Omicron: Katy Clark breaks ranks to back SNP demand to bring back furlough
Johnson replied: “I think it’s important that we continue to work with the Scottish administration as we do to help everybody through it.
“There is more money, as he knows, through Barnett consequentials, there are also further powers under the existing devolutionary settlement for the Scottish administration to raise money if it chooses to, they have that option. But we will of course continue with the discussions with the Scottish administration.”
Meanwhile, a poll published today found that half of UK voters - 51% - support a national two-week lockdown over Christmas.
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