BORIS Johnson is coming to Scotland for another for another whistle-stop tour.
Although it may be brief, the Prime Minister’s visit is bound to make a splash, with both the opposition and Scottish party colleagues in a war of words with No 10.
It comes as police “close in” on Johnson’s pandemic rule-breaking with the Met investigating lockdown parties on Downing Street.
Here’s what we know about the trip so far.
When is it?
Johnson arrives on Monday morning, with a Union-flag branded jet scheduled touching down in Edinburgh at around 10am.
It's his first visit since attending COP26 in Glasgow in November.
Why is he visiting?
The Prime Minister says he’s coming to Scotland to promote his government’s “levelling up agenda”.
He announced: “I’m getting out of London this week and taking a simple message with me, this Government is getting on with the job of uniting and levelling up the country.”
The trip coincides with a joint announcement with Holyrood ministers that the two governments have agreed to set up two “green freeports” in Scotland.
Where is he going?
Number 10 announced the Prime Minister would visit a manufacturing site in Scotland before heading to an oncology centre tackling coronavirus backlogs in the north-west of England.
Johnson turned up at Rosyth Dockyard to see the construction of the Royal Navy’s new Type 31 warships.
The PM visited Babcock Rosyth Dockyard today to see the construction of the Royal Navy’s new Type 31 warships.
— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) February 14, 2022
The Type 31 programme is supporting more than 2,500 jobs across the UK.
These ships will play a vital role in protecting UK security interests around the world. pic.twitter.com/QJi5zbkAGe
He told reporters: “I’m working very hard with my colleagues in Scotland on our joint agenda of uniting and levelling up, and delivering for the people of the whole UK.
“I think we’re very proud collectively of what the UK Government has done at all levels to get us through Covid very effectively, so that we now have the fastest-growing economy in the G7 last year and this year, plus we’re working together on great projects which we’re able to do such as the free ports and such as investment in Rosyth.”
READ MORE: Boris Johnson insists he's working 'very hard' on 'uniting' people in Scotland
On plans for new freeports in Scotland, the Prime Minister added: “I think if you look at the the attitude of the Scottish Government it has been fantastic, I think they’ve really got the point, and they can see the advantages of the free ports.
“I’m not allowed to give away the locations but they can they can genuinely drive huge numbers of jobs.”
The Tory leader also spoke about the potential for a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The situation in Ukraine is 'very, very dangerous', @BorisJohnson says, and Vladimir Putin must 'step back' from the 'edge of a precipice'
— ITV News Politics (@ITVNewsPolitics) February 14, 2022
Prime Minister Johnson seeks to ease tensions between Russia and Ukraine with a warning to President Putin https://t.co/0QyZSFHN0e pic.twitter.com/N46XsrfwrK
Who will he meet?
Not Douglas Ross. The Scottish Tory leader and his MSPs have called for the Prime Minister to step down over the partygate scandal.
Relations were soured further when Conservative minister Jacob Rees-Mogg branded Ross a “lightweight” figure.
READ MORE: 'Blatant lies': Jacob Rees-Mogg claims 'Brexit wins' are just around the corner
Scotland Office minister Iain Stewart on Monday denied suggestions that Johnson is “persona non grata” north of the Border.
He speculated on BBC Good Morning Scotland that perhaps the PM’s diary “didn’t align” with Ross’s.
SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford predicted the Tory leader will also spend his trip “hiding from the Scottish people”.
What kind of reaction can he expect?
As ever, Johnson can expect a frosty reception.
His previous visits have sparked protests, though No 10 is careful to limit public exposure for the deeply unpopular Prime Minister.
A new poll by Panelbase found more than three quarters of Scots think he should resign while just 15% think he should stay.
Blackford said: “It’s no wonder Mr Johnson is spending his flying visit hiding from the Scottish people, when the overwhelming majority want him to resign, including his own Scottish Tory branch office.”
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