Boris Johnson has visited a Lighthouse Laboratory used for processing COVID-19 tests during his one-day visit to Scotland.
The prime minister, wearing PPE, met staff at the lab at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow after pressing ahead with the trip to Scotland despite First Minister Nicola Sturgeon saying he should not come as it was "non-essential".
Mr Johnson's visit is aimed at highlighting the value of the United Kingdom, as a whole, in fighting the coronavirus pandemic.
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Recent polls have suggested there is growing support for independence and Ms Sturgeon has threatened to hold an advisory referendum.
Ms Sturgeon, who has imposed a stay-at-home lockdown in Scotland, said the PM's visit was not essential and political leaders should abide by the same rules as they ask of the general public.
But Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove defended the trip, telling Sky News: "The prime minister has a responsibility and a role to make sure the vaccine roll-out is proceeding appropriately, to thank those on the front line, NHS professionals and those in the British Army who are making sure things work well.
"It's also important the prime minister hears from those on the front line what is going well and what needs to improve.
"When the prime minister visits other parts of the United Kingdom, other political leaders don't criticise him, indeed there is a welcome for the prime minister and other ministers who are rolling up their sleeves and are getting in touch with those on the ground who are making a difference."
And MP Jacob Rees-Mogg called Ms Sturgeon "Moanalot", saying the PM "is doing his job" and visiting a vaccine factory "is something we should be proud of".
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer also backed the prime minister's Scotland trip, saying he was "with the prime minister on this one".
"He is the prime minister of the UK. It's important that he travels to see what is going on, on the ground," he told LBC.
Downing Street, which has insisted it is key for Mr Johnson to remain "visible" as the "physical representative" of the UK government, plans to stress the benefits for Scotland of being in the UK.
Officials said Westminster has delivered more than one million rapid lateral flow test kits to Scotland so far and is funding testing sites across the country as well as the Lighthouse Lab in Glasgow.
Money from Westminster has provided 62% of testing kits in Scotland, a No 10 spokesman added.
The First Minister has been largely critical of Mr Johnson's handling of the pandemic, often choosing to guide Scotland in a different direction from England over the past year.
On Wednesday, she said the decision to place travellers returning from certain countries into hotel quarantine did not go far enough and Scotland is considering implementing stricter restrictions.
Over three nights Sky News will host a series of special programmes examining the UK's response to the pandemic.
Watch COVID Crisis: Learning the Lessons at 8pm on 9, 10 and 11 February.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiemh0dHBzOi8vbmV3cy5za3kuY29tL3N0b3J5L2NvdmlkLTE5LWJvcmlzLWpvaG5zb24tdmlzaXRzLXNjb3R0aXNoLWxhYi1kZXNwaXRlLXN0dXJnZW9uLWRlZW1pbmctdHJpcC1ub24tZXNzZW50aWFsLTEyMjAxMjg20gF-aHR0cHM6Ly9uZXdzLnNreS5jb20vc3RvcnkvYW1wL2NvdmlkLTE5LWJvcmlzLWpvaG5zb24tdmlzaXRzLXNjb3R0aXNoLWxhYi1kZXNwaXRlLXN0dXJnZW9uLWRlZW1pbmctdHJpcC1ub24tZXNzZW50aWFsLTEyMjAxMjg2?oc=5
2021-01-28 12:45:00Z
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