RISHI Sunak refused to answer more than five questions from broadcast media on a visit to RAF Lossiemouth.

The Prime Minister was at the base “for a cup of tea with personnel to hear about their remarkable work over the past year”.

But several reporters have revealed he stuck to a rigid plan of only accepting five questions from broadcast journalists despite repeated requests to answer more. 

SNP MP John Nicolson, who is the party's culture, media and sport spokesperson, said it was "absurd" the PM did not engage more with the press.

He told The National: "Tory prime ministers visit Scotland like nervous Governor Generals.

"Rishi Sunak is no different with his rictus grin and look of near panic.

READ MORE: Murdo Fraser accuses Scottish Government of 'misleading the public'

"At a time of domestic and international crisis it’s clearly absurd that he refused to take a range of questions from the press.

"In fact he spent longer this week joking with Italy’s far right Prime Minister than he did talking to Scottish journalists in Scotland."

Sunak spoke to Italian conservatives at an event in Rome at the weekend at Giorgia Meloni's Atreju political festival. 

In the questions he did take from reporters, he answered two on Baroness Michelle Mone after she admitted she lied when she repeatedly denied having links to PPE Medpro, which made millions of pounds in profits from a Government deal to supply personal protective equipment during the pandemic.

He said he took the scandal “incredibly seriously” as she faces calls not to return to the House of Lords, but largely declined to comment on allegations that Mone used the Tory government’s “VIP lane” for Covid contracts to enrich her family with public money.

Sunak was chancellor when Mone lobbied ministers including Michael Gove to award contracts to PPE Medpro, a firm which at the time did not even exist.

He then only answered one question each on the Scottish Budget – being presented tomorrow by Finance Secretary Shona Robison – the situation in Gaza and the Rosebank oil field.

Sky News reporter Connor Gillies tweeted about the lack of engagement from the Prime Minister.

READ MORE: Douglas Ross dodges BBC interview over Michelle Mone

In response, leader of the Moray LibDems Neil Alexander sarcastically said: "It's almost like there's an election coming...

"Did he speak to any local residents about flip-flopping on plans to introduce the whisky tax hike?"

Other social media users pointed out his claims his government would have "integrity, professionalism and accountability at every level". 

The offshore oil and gas regulator and the Government are facing legal action over the approval of Rosebank.

The North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) granted development and production consent for the project in September but campaign group Uplift claim the Energy Secretary failed to show how Rosebank – one of the largest untapped oil reserves in UK waters – aligns with the Government’s net-zero plan for 2050.