PRIME Minister Boris Johnson left via the back door after a meeting with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at Bute House.

It came after Johnson was fiercely booed by crowds when he arrived earlier in the day.

The groups of independence campaigners and pro-EU demonstrators had gathered across the street, heckling Johnson as he shook hands with the First Minister.

He was expected to leave the same way he came in, but instead slipped out the back.

BBC reporter Nick Eardley posted an image on Twitter showing Johnson's exit.

The decision was taken by Johnson's camp – and is not the normal protocol.

The National has obtained exclusive footage of Johnson's motorcade leaving via the back door.

At his meeting with Sturgeon, Johnson stressed he was a "passionate believer" in the Union.

A Number 10 spokesman said: "The Prime Minister met the First Minister for Scotland Nicola Sturgeon in Edinburgh today.

"The Prime Minister said he was a passionate believer in the power of the Union and he would work tirelessly to strengthen the United Kingdom and improve the lives of people right across Scotland.

"On Brexit, the Prime Minister said that while the Government's preference is to negotiate a new deal which abolishes the anti-democratic backstop, the UK will be leaving the EU on October 31st come what may.

"The PM set out the scale of work under way to prepare for our departure and also offered to hold a JMC(P) (joint ministerial plenary committee) soon so that he can work with the devolved administrations to make sure all corners of the UK are ready to enjoy a bright future outside of the EU.

READ MORE: Watch: Nicola Sturgeon was having none of Boris Johnson's back-patting

"They also discussed the UK Government's pledge to expand Growth Deals with £300m of new funding. The Prime Minister said he looked forward to working with the Scottish Government to see these deals rolled out to every region of Scotland so that more communities could benefit from the funding."

Ahead of the meeting with Johnson, Sturgeon had said: "The people of Scotland did not vote for this Tory Government, they didn't vote for this new Prime Minister, they didn't vote for Brexit and they certainly didn't vote for a catastrophic no-deal Brexit which Boris Johnson is now planning for.

"Boris Johnson has formed a hard-line Tory government with one aim - to take Scotland and the UK out of the EU without a deal.

"Scotland has been ignored throughout the Brexit process and it is now time for everyone who cares about the future of Scotland to come together to chart our own course and say to the Tories - stop driving our country towards disaster."