Boris Johnson has caused a backlash by reportedly calling devolution “a disaster north of the border” and “Tony Blair’s worst mistake”.
The prime minister made the comments during an online meeting with dozens of Tory backbench MPs on Monday, according to The Sun.
Downing Street did not deny the paper’s report but rowed back on Mr Johnson’s words, claiming that he “has always supported devolution” as long as it is not “used by separatists and nationalists to break up the UK”.
In response to the prime minister’s comments, Douglas Ross, who leads the Conservatives in Scotland, said “devolution has not been a disaster”, while SNP politicians condemned the Tories for their attitude towards Scotland.
Ian Blackford, the SNP’s Westminster leader, said: “The Tory mask has well-and-truly slipped after Boris Johnson was caught red-handed claiming that Scottish devolution is a mistake.”
Meanwhile, his colleague Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish first minister, tweeted: “Worth bookmarking these PM comments for the next time Tories say they’re not a threat to the powers of the Scottish parliament – or, even more incredibly, that they support devolving more powers.
“The only way to protect & strengthen ScotParl is with independence,” she added.
Mr Ross, who is seeking to be elected as an MSP in May, took a different line by expressing his support for devolution, before blaming the SNP for its attempts to seek another independence referendum.
“The SNP’s non-stop obsession with another referendum – above jobs, schools and everything else – has been a disaster,” he said.
Elsewhere, Ian Murray, the shadow Scottish minister, rebuked Mr Johnson and described devolution as “one of Labour’s proudest achievements”.
“This confirms that Boris Johnson doesn’t believe in devolution and would put the future of the United Kingdom at risk,” the Labour MP said.
The prime minister made the controversial remarks on devolution to members of the Northern Research Group, a collection of Tory MPs who want the government, among other things, to come good on its promise to “level-up” the country.
Addition reporting by Press Association
