NICOLA Sturgeon has invited Boris Johnson to face-to-face talks in Edinburgh.
The Prime Minister is due to visit Scotland later this week as part of efforts to strengthen the Union.
The itinerary of his trip has not been announced, but he has been invited to Bute House to meet with the First Minister.
She said she hoped to discuss strategies to tackle and recover from the pandemic.
READ MORE: Boris Johnson to visit Scotland this week, reports say
In a letter to Number 10, Sturgeon wrote: “I understand you will be in Scotland later this week and thought this might offer us an opportunity to meet in person in Edinburgh for a discussion on the current Covid situation and our respective plans for recovery — focusing, obviously, on the areas where it is important that our governments work together.
“I would be happy to welcome you to Bute House and hereby extend an invitation.”
I understand the PM will visit Scotland later this week. Since this would be our first opportunity to meet in person for a while, I’ve invited him to Bute House to discuss Covid/recovery. We differ politically, but our governments must work together where we can. pic.twitter.com/Fo4N4nr2oN
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) August 2, 2021
READ MORE: Police 'scrap foolish Operation Bunter' code for Boris Johnson Scotland visit
Last time the Prime Minister visited Bute House, in July 2019, he was booed mercilessly by protesters on the way in.
The Tory leader opted to leave via the backdoor on the way out.
At that meeting, shortly after he had replaced Theresa May, Johnson stressed he was a "passionate believer" in the Union.
READ MORE: Boris Johnson leaves Bute House meeting by the back door
He has not visited Scotland since late January, when he visited vaccination facilities despite the country being in lockdown.
Number 10 ignored Sturgeon’s warning that a stay-at-home lockdown was in place. Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove defended Johnson’s trip, arguing it was “important” for him to hear from frontline workers during the pandemic.
The PM was conspicuous in his absence ahead of May's Holyrood election, when he had been expected to join Douglas Ross on the campaign trail.
Despite claiming "wild horses" couldn't keep him away, Johnson was a no show, fueling speculation that the Scottish Tories considered him too toxic due to his abysmal approval ratings north of the Border.
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