Scotland news: Boris Johnson says independence ‘irrelevant’ and SNP pledges record NHS spending

Prime Minister Boris Johnson visits the Lighthouse Laboratory at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital campus in Glasgow (Getty Images)

Boris Johnson has said arguments about another referendum on Scottish independence were “completely irrelevant” during a visit to Scotland to extoll the benefits of the union.

The prime minister insisted the 2014 vote was a once-in-a-generation referendum and said there was no advantage in “pointless constitutional wrangling”.

Meanwhile, Scotland’s finance secretary announced a record NHS funding of £16bn as part of a Budget aimed at dealing with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

It comes as Jacob Rees-Mogg called Nicola Sturgeon “Moanalot” after she said the prime minister’s trip was not an essential journey.

Read more:

• PM visit to Scotland ‘not essential’, says Sturgeon

• Scotland unable to fight Covid-19 as effectively without England, PM to claim

• The unique ‘four nation’ construct is at severe risk of being broken apart

• Scottish Tory leader would boycott ‘wildcat’ referendum

• Scotland on course to miss ‘ambitious’ emissions goals

• John Rentoul: Johnson’s trip to Scotland won’t save the union, but at least he’s trying