THE move to scrap all the remaining Covid rules in England is “bereft of any science or consultation”, or any meaningful engagement with the devolved nations, Ian Blackford has said.

The SNP’s Westminster leader spoke to criticise Boris Johnson after he laid out plans to scrap all Covid protections in England, including compulsory self-isolation for positive cases and free coronavirus tests for the general public.

The move will have a knock-on effect for Scotland, with specific Barnett consequential funding for testing stopping when the English schemes do.

Blackford accused Johnson of removing “the very safeguards which support a return to normal life”, saying that the English plan “flies in the face of advice from scientists at the World Health Organisation”.

READ MORE: Boris Johnson scraps ALL Covid restrictions in England as self-isolation ended

Health experts have widely criticised the move, with Professor Linda Bauld warning that the UK could be “driving blind into the next stage of the pandemic”.

In a fiery Commons clash which saw the Speaker have to intervene after jeers from the Tory backbenchers, Blackford accused Boris Johnson of “scrambling to save his own skin” with the announcement.

The SNP MP said the “dangerous choices are purely political”.

Responding to jeers of “money” from the Tory benches, Blackford added: “Money? I hear money. We’re talking about protecting the people of Scotland, something that this Prime Minister is turning his back on.”

He went on: “The illogical reality of UK finance means that these decisions made for England by a failing Prime Minister affect the money the devolved nations have to provide testing.”

Asked about how the devolved nations should fund free testing schemes after April 1, the Prime Minister said the “Scottish authority” should take money from elsewhere in its fixed budget.

He said that the Edinburgh government could also get funding for free tests from the “health and social care levy” - the Tories’ controversial hike in National Insurance contributions.

The free testing scheme will be ended in England from April 1, with a requirement to self-isolate after a positive test scrapped from Thursday. 

Johnson's announcement was also met with anger in other corners, with Layla Moran MP, the chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coronavirus, saying: “Learning to live with Covid must not mean living as if Covid does not exist. Dropping all restrictions and free testing will leave us blind to new variants and deepen divides in this country between those who can afford to self-isolate or pay for tests and those who can’t. 

“The removal of restrictions should be accompanied by vigilance, support for those who need it and a long-term plan, but instead we have a mad dash to change headlines and appease the Covid sceptics of the Tory party.”