Nicola Sturgeon lashed out at Boris Johnson today for his 'odd' decision to snub a face-to-face meeting during his visit to Scotland - despite being just 30 miles from her Edinburgh residence.
The SNP First Minister had offered talks with the Prime Minister about the recovery from the Covid pandemic at her Bute House official home. But Mr Johnson rebuffed her request last night.
He is north of the border today but details of what he is doing there and where he was visiting remained unknown until the last minute.
He eventually appeared this afternoon at the Tulliallan Police College, between Falkirk and Dunfermline. It is just 30 miles from Bute House.
Previous visits to Scotland by the PM have been at tightly secure locations to avoid protests which greeted some of his trips as premier.
Any discussions between Mr Johnson and Ms Sturgeon would likely be overshadowed by a row about a new Scottish independence referendum desired by the SNP but which the PM refuses to allow.
Ms Sturgeon said today it was a 'missed opportunity', telling broadcasters: 'I don't feel snubbed.
'I think most people will think it's a bit odd, and a bit strange, that we've got a Prime Minister visiting Scotland who talks a lot, rightly, about the need - despite our political differences - for us to work together where we can on getting through Covid and into Covid recovery but doesn't take the opportunity when in Scotland to come and talk to me directly about how we might co-operate and work together.
'I think people will just find that strange and it's for Boris Johnson to explain, I suppose, why.
Mr Johnson is in Scotland but details of where he was visiting remained unknown until the last minute. He eventually appeared at the Tulliallan Police College, between Falkirk and Dunfermline. It is just 30 miles from Bute House.
Ms Sturgeon took a turn between the sticks at a children's nursery in Fallin, near Stirling today. But there will be no rematch of the England v Scotland game at Euro 2020 in June after the Prime Minister refused her request for a face-to-face at Edinburgh's Bute House
The PM instead suggested they hold talks with other first ministers also involved at a later date.
'This would be the first opportunity, given Covid, for us to sit down, appropriately socially distanced and have a face-to-face chat. I think it would have been a good opportunity.
'I was getting ready to welcome him to Bute House today. There's lots that Boris Johnson and I fundamentally disagree on but we both lead governments that are trying to get our countries through Covid and so there's a lot for us to co-operate on.
'So,
