Sturgeon says PM's failure to meet is 'missed opportunity'

Nicola Sturgeon has said she does not feel “snubbed” by the Prime Minister’s failure to meet her on his two-day visit to Scotland but believes it is a “missed opportunity”.

The First Minister earlier this week extended an invitation for Boris Johnson to meet with at her Bute House residence in Edinburgh during his visit to the country.

In a letter in response, Johnson did not accept the invitation to meet, however said that he is keen to meet the First Minister in-person to build on the “constructive discussions” that they had earlier in the summer.

The Prime Minister also stated that there is “much for us to discuss” regarding the UK’s recovery from the pandemic, as well as underlining his intention to work closely on the vaccination booster campaign.

‘I stand ready to work with whoever, however I can to get Scotland through Covid and into recovery.’
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon

During a visit to a nursery in Stirling on Wednesday, Sturgeon told broadcasters: “I don’t feel snubbed.

“I think most people will think it’s a bit odd, and a bit strange, that we’ve got a Prime Minister visiting Scotland who talks a lot, rightly, about the need – despite our political differences – for us to work together where we can on getting through Covid and into Covid recovery but doesn’t take the opportunity when in Scotland to come and talk to me directly about how we might co-operate and work together.

“I think people will just find that strange and it’s for Boris Johnson to explain, I suppose, why.

“This would be the first opportunity, given Covid, for us to sit down, appropriately socially distanced and have a face-to-face chat. I think it would have been a good opportunity.

“I was getting ready to welcome him to Bute House today. There’s lots that Boris Johnson and I fundamentally disagree on but we both lead governments that are trying to get our countries through Covid and so there’s a lot for us to co-operate on.

“So, you know, missed opportunity but that’s on him. I stand ready to work with whoever, however I can to get Scotland through Covid and into recovery.”