BORIS Johnson reportedly told Scottish Tory activists he’d never visit Nicola Sturgeon in Bute House again after being outmanoeuvred the last time – before ducking out the back door of a soup factory to avoid a crowd of Yes campaigners.

On his much-heralded visit to Scotland, the Prime Minister was accused of politicising the coronavirus crisis, as he again rejected calls for a second vote on Scottish independence. He claimed Covid-19 has shown the UK as a “fantastically strong institution” and that the Union has been critical in the response to the virus.

The Tory leader’s visit came after support for Scottish independence reached 54% in two opinion polls recently, while it looks like Holyrood is set for a big pro-independence majority at next year’s election.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s approval ratings are also 99% ahead of Johnson’s in Scotland.

That might be why the Prime Minister told a virtual gathering of Tory footsoldiers that he would no longer agree to meet with the FM in Edinburgh – after being embarrassed by huge protests and scuttling out the back door on his visit in 2019.

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Tory activist @BritishAlba spilled the beans after the Zoom call with the PM, which was apparently attended by 800 Tories. “To sum up some of the great stuff the PM said,” @BritishAlba wrote.

“1) No more Bute House visits and criticised civil service and others for advice like that. 2) British state will not be neutral on the Union.”

“I did laugh when he said that about Bute House!!” replied fellow activist @00_Euan_00.

And Andy Waddell added: “He’s a great man. I hope he will join us in the fight on the doorsteps.”

An SNP source told The National: “This is all petty, pathetic and cowardly.

“On the day he flies in pretending in public to cherish Scotland, his mask slips in private and his true contempt is displayed.

“So much for us being a union of equals. Once again Johnson has demonstrated his glaring lack of leadership qualities. He is simply not up to the job.”

Johnson was visiting a Baxters soup factory in Fochabers, after a visit to the nearby military base at Kinloss where a group of protesters had gathered with Saltires and Yes flags. One of those was activist Kay Frew Harris of Inveryess.

“When the police outriders arrived, we watched a black car with blacked-out windows, like the Mafia, glide in the gates and we assumed that was Johnson,” she told The National. “There was no opportunity for anyone to see him, never mind speak to him.

“It was as we had expected, only a Tory PR exercise done for show and with no respect for the people living and voting in Scotland. He left by another exit of course. None of us saw him go. Back Door Boris! What a pitiful and shameful man.”

READ MORE: Tom Devine: PM's visit shows fear FM has behaved more capably in pandemic

The Prime Minister was also greeted in Orkney earlier by Yes groups out in force to protest his visit. With very little notice, Yes Orkney arranged a series of demonstrations along the PM’s route on the island, from Kirkwall to Stromness.

Johnson said during his visit: “The Union is a fantastically strong institution. It’s helped our country through thick and thin, it’s very, very valuable in terms of the support we’ve been able to give to everybody throughout all corners of the UK.”

The PM also denied politicising the coronavirus crisis to boost his cause after Sturgeon accused him of “crowing” about the Union.

He suggested there are only “superficial” political differences between his approach to tackling Covid-19 and that of Scotland – despite Sturgeon’s government delivering much better outcomes.

Earlier, the First Minister was critical of his comments.

“I don’t think any of us should be championing and celebrating a pandemic that has taken thousands of lives as an example of the pre-existing political case we want to make,” she said.

Asked if he was politicising the crisis, Johnson said: “Of course not.

“It’s very, very important to look at the way the whole of the UK can bounce back stronger together.”

He later added: “It’s not a remotely political point, I just happen to think that’s the best way to do things and it’s a great thing for our country.”

Sturgeon argued his trip – the day before Johnson marks one year in charge at Downing Street – highlights a key argument for independence.

She tweeted earlier: “I welcome the PM to Scotland today. One of the key arguments for independence is the ability of Scotland to take our own decisions, rather than having our future decided by politicians we didn’t vote for, taking us down a path we haven’t chosen. His presence highlights that.”

Sturgeon said Treasury cash was “not some kind of favour” to Scots.

“Let’s be clear, this is borrowed money and the reason it is coming to the Scottish Government from the UK Government is the UK Government holds the borrowing powers that Scotland doesn’t hold,” she said.

“Scottish taxpayers will pay the cost of that borrowing in the same way as taxpayers across the UK will, so it is not some kind of favour that is being done for Scotland.

“And if the Scottish Government held the borrowing powers we would be able to provide that support directly, and perhaps we would be able to have greater flexibility in how we design these schemes.”