BORIS Johnson has been accused of trying to “politicise the pandemic” after he claimed an independent Scotland wouldn’t have been able to cope with the financial pressures of the coronavirus.

Speaking at a briefing in Downing Street, the Prime Minister said that the Union had more than proved its worth during the crisis, and that all parts of the UK were pursuing the “same agenda” in the fight against the virus.

It came as he unveiled his plan for more divergence among the four nations.

He announced a “more significant return to normality” by Christmas saying that it might be possible for England “to move away from the social distancing measures”.

He also revealed that, south of the Border, indoor performances would be able to start in August, and larger gatherings in sports stadiums could potentially be allowed in the autumn.

During questions from the press, Johnson was asked if the 99% difference between the net approval rating for the Prime Minister and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was evidence that he was “the biggest threat to Union”.

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The Tory leader replied: “I think when you look at what’s actually happened in this crisis, there has been very good and very close collaboration, despite the surface differences and the polemics that you refer to.

“There have been very good discussions across the UK between public health authorities, between the chief scientific and medical officers, and actually the agenda has been pursued by all parts of the UK beneath the surface has been very, very similar.

“It is thanks to the strength of the Union, I would say, that actually we’ve had the response that we’ve been able to muster as a whole United Kingdom, whether that’s our armed services bringing testing kits across the whole of the country, taking people in remote parts of Scotland to the testing centres where they need to go to, or the might of the UK Treasury and HMRC getting the furlough scheme up and running across the whole of the UK, which I thought was incredibly impressive.

“I’m conscious that people will try to make divisions, and it’s quite right that there will be distinctive approaches in some aspects of the way that we approach coronavirus, but I have absolutely no doubt that the Union has proved its worth in this crisis time and time again.

“It’s the oldest and most successful political partnership in the world, and we certainly don’t want to see it broken up.”

Kirsten Oswald, the SNP’s new deputy leader at Westminster said Johnson’s comments were “laughable”.

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She said: “The Tories are desperate to try and politicise the pandemic at every turn – but Boris Johnson’s comments show just how rattled he is by public opinion in Scotland.

“The SNP Government is getting on with the job of suppressing the virus and protecting public health.

“But the Tories’ suggestions that an independent Scotland wouldn’t have been able to take the financial action needed to protect jobs and the economy are laughable – countries around the world, many the same size or smaller than Scotland, have been able to take the steps required because they are independent.

“It is the Tories who are putting Scottish jobs at risk by threatening to withdraw furlough and support schemes too soon – if they do so, and also refuse to give Scotland the powers needed to do the job ourselves, then support for independence will just keep on rising higher and higher.”

In his speech, the Prime Minister also announced an extra £3bn for the NHS in England to allow them to deal with the prospect of another outbreak or a second wave over winter. It will also allow the makeshift Nightingale hospital to remain on standby.

As the cash pledge is new money there will be Barnett consequentials for Holyrood.

Johnson also promised to lift the work-from-home guidance in England and scrapped the advice to avoid public transport.