Sturgeon accuses Johnson of using Covid-19 as 'political weapon'

First minister says no one should be celebrating' crisis as PM visits Scotland

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Boris Johnson was accused of using the coronavirus pandemic as some kind of political weapon" by Scotland's first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, against a backdrop of rising tension over the future of the union.

Sturgeon accused the prime minster of celebrating" the pandemic after Johnson used his first visit to Scotland since last December's election to hammer home his message that the UK's response to the virus exemplified the sheer might" of the union. He claimed it would have spelled economic disaster for Scotland had it not been able to rely on the UK Treasury for assistance.