UK: Boris Johnson: Scotland's minister calls for explanation

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Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson

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Because Boris Johnson turned down an invitation from Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon on his trip to Scotland, a minister of the Scottish National Party (SNP) has called for an explanation from the British Prime Minister.

"It is up to Boris Johnson to explain why talks with our First Minister about recovery from the pandemic are not a priority for him," said the Minister for Constitutional and External Affairs, Angus Robertson, the German Press Agency.

Conflicts between London and Edinburgh

He was "confused" why Johnson did not accept the invitation, said the politician, who like Sturgeon is a member of the SNP.

Sturgeon himself had previously suspected that people might find the cancellation "very funny".

Johnson had set out on a two-day trip to Scotland on Wednesday, but had turned down the invitation to the seat of government.

The point of conflict between London and Edinburgh is the Scottish aspiration for independence from the United Kingdom.

Sturgeon wants to hold another independence referendum after the pandemic and, in the best case, lead their country into an independent future and back into the EU.

Robertson, who also has German roots, was a former parliamentary group leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) in the British Parliament and a former BBC correspondent.

In the regional election on May 6th, he won the Edinburgh Central constituency in the Scottish capital as a direct candidate.

muk / dpa