BORIS Johnson is furious with the Scottish Government for being “too left-wing”, it has been reported.
The Prime Minister is said to be angry with Holyrood ministers for spending money provided by Westminster on “lavish welfare”.
The SNP said the Tory leader’s attitude explains why conservatives haven’t won an election in Scotland since 1955.
The claims were made in a column by Financial Times associate editor Philip Stephens, who says Government officials have revealed Johnson’s true feelings about Scotland.
“Publicly he declares himself a unionist; privately, Whitehall officials report, he is heard to scorn Scotland as ‘too leftwing’ – spending money raised from English taxpayers on lavish welfare,” Stephens wrote. “The prejudice is reflected in the legislation now before parliament to create a UK single market.”
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His column, which concludes the Prime Minister is pushing Scotland towards independence by “asserting unassailable English supremacy”, was shared on Twitter and described as “interesting” by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
Responding to claims that the Scottish Government is “too left-wing”, an SNP source said: "Of course Boris Johnson will be angry when he looks to Scotland and sees the benefits of a social democracy in action.
"It goes against everything the Tories believe in – no wonder they haven't won an election here in decades.
"Now, imagine what Scotland can do with the full powers of independence."
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At the last General Election, the Conservatives lost seven of their Scottish seats to the SNP.
Numerous polls published this year suggest the SNP are on track to win a landslide victory at next year’s Holyrood election, with the Tory vote share forecast to drop.
Pressure is mounting on the Westminster Government to agree to a second independence referendum if the SNP win a majority, but Johnson has consistently refused to countenance a vote.
Stephens said this strategy was only likely to increase support for a Yes vote, warning it would legitimise “the SNP charge that England is locking Scotland into a state of vassalage”.
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