News / Politics

Nicola Sturgeon and Boris Johnson in tense post-election phone call

Monday, 10 May 2021 3:09 PM [ Last Update: Monday, 10 May 2021 3:09 PM ]

Nicola Sturgeon (R) has kicked off the latest phase of her constitutional battle with Boris Johnson (L) with a barely concealed acrimonious phone call

Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has had a tense phone call with Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, following the Scottish National Party’s (SNP) victory in the Holyrood election.

The phone call reportedly took place on Sunday afternoon (May 09), during which Sturgeon, who is also the leader of the pro-independence SNP, is reported to have told the PM that a second independence referendum is “a matter of when – not if”.

Despite the obvious tension, the two leaders did agree to co-operate on less contentious issues, notably post-Covid19 economic recovery.

According to the SNP, Johnson and Sturgeon had also agreed to work “closely and constructively” to successfully host the United Nations climate conference in Glasgow in November.

However, on the key issue of Scottish independence, the two leaders appear to have repeatedly clashed during the brief phone call.

According to an SNP spokeswoman: “The FM [First Minister] also re-iterated her intention to ensure that the people of Scotland can choose our own future when the crisis is over, and made clear that the question of a referendum is now a matter of when – not if”.

Sturgeon appears to have talked to Johnson after her appearance on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show, in which she indirectly clashed with Cabinet Office Minister, Michael Gove, over the SNP’s mandate to hold an independence referendum.

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There is also no indication yet if the First Minister has accepted the PM’s invitation to a leadership summit in London involving the heads of the UK’s devolved administrations.

Boris Johnson calls for leadership summit as Tories reel from losses...

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