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An awkward handshake between Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and British PM Boris Johnson. PA Wire/PA Images

Boris Johnson gets booed as he arrives at Bute House to speak with Nicola Sturgeon

Johnson today announced a £300 million package of investment for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to “strengthen the union”.

LAST UPDATE | 29 Jul 2019

PRIME MINISTER BORIS Johnson was loudly booed as he arrived at Bute House in Edinburgh to meet with Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

Crowds gathered outside the official residence of the First Minister of Scotland chanted and shouted insults at the new British leader before both he and Sturgeon were ushered inside.

Johnson had said earlier that his government is aiming to get a Brexit deal, and promised to “hold out the hand” and go the extra “thousand miles” to do so.

He also said that if there is goodwill from EU negotiators, that the chances of a no-deal Brexit on 31 October are “a million to one”.

In his first visit to Scotland as UK Prime Minister, he announced an investment that he says will “strengthen the union” and visited a military base before he also met with Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson, who has been opposed to a no-deal Brexit.

The £300 million (€332 million) package of new investment is for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and was revealed by Johnson during a visit to a military base.

He said that the UK is a “global brand and together we are safer, stronger and more prosperous”, according to a statement released by his Downing Street Office.

Boris Johnson visit to Scotland PA Wire / PA Images PA Wire / PA Images / PA Images

“Important projects like the government’s growth deals… will open up opportunities across our union so people in every corner of the United Kingdom can realise their potential.”

As we prepare for our bright future after Brexit, it’s vital we renew the ties that bind our United Kingdom.

Sturgeon, the leader of the Scottish National Party, said earlier in the week that the London government was driving the country towards a “disaster”, and that Scotland needed an “alternative option” to Johnson’s Brexit strategy.

In a statement following the meeting, a No 10 spokesperson said that Johnson told Sturgeon that he was “a passionate believer in the power of the Union and he would work tirelessly to strengthen the United Kingdom and improve the lives of people right across Scotland”.

On Brexit, the Prime Minister said that while the government’s preference is to negotiate a new deal which abolishes the anti-democratic backstop, the UK will be leaving the EU on October 31st come what may. 

Johnson said that he would work with the Scottish government and other devolved administrations to make sure “all corners of the UK are ready to enjoy a bright future outside the EU”. BBC correspondent Nick Eardley tweeted that Johnson then left Bute House through the back door.

When Johnson was asked by a pool of reporters, including the BBC, whether he agreed with Michael Gove’s assertion at the weekend that a no-deal was the most likely Brexit outcome, he said:

“No, absolutely not. My assumption is that we can get a new deal, we’re aiming for a new deal. But, of course, Michael is absolutely right that it’s responsible for any government to prepare for a no deal if we absolutely have to.

My approach is to be very outward-going, I don’t want the UK to be aloof or hanging back, I want us to engage to hold out the hand, to go the extra thousand miles.
What we want to do is make it absolutely clear that the backstop is no good, it’s dead, it’s got to go… But there is scope to do a new deal.

When asked whether he thought the odds of a no-deal Brexit on 31 October were a million to one claim, he said:

Provided there is sufficient goodwill and common sense on the part of our partners, that is exactly where I would put the odds.

His spokeswoman, Alison Donnelly said that “he remains confident that the EU will stop claiming that the withdrawal agreement can’t be changed”.

Election mode

Johnson’s trip to Scotland comes after he made another infrasture pledge while on a visit to the north of England on Saturday by promising a new Manchester-Leeds rail link.

He also announced a £3.6 billion fund supporting 100 towns in England, raising suggestions that he is already in campaign mode for an election.

The Scottish trip is the first stop on a tour of the countries that make up the United Kingdom, as he attempts to win support for his Brexit plans and head off talk of a break-up of the union.

Johnson has promised that the UK will leave the EU on October 31, with or without a deal. Upon taking office last week, Johnson also took the symbolic title of Minister for the Union.

Beef

On this side of the Irish Sea, Minister for Agriculture has announced a €120 million injection into the beef sector which the minister said should help mitigate against low prices.

The Beef Exceptional Aid Measure will be funded by a combination the Irish exchequer and EU exceptional.

“I am keenly aware that the past few months have been very difficult for beef farmers,” the minister said this morning.

There has been a prolonged and exceptional period of depressed prices since last autumn, with the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the outcome of Brexit, among other factors, contributing to this market disturbance.

The voluntary scheme is available to farmers that meet certain criteria laid out by the Department of Agriculture.

- with reporting by AFP 2019 and the Associated Press. Updated by Gráinne Ní Aodha

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    Mute VoiceOfVanguard
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    Oct 14th 2014, 4:30 PM

    The pension levy will be abolished at end of next year, not this year.
    And the double-Irish will be abolished next year for new companies, and for all by end-2020 – not next January.

    Separately, WTF is that 25% Christmas bonus all about??
    I thought we abolished THAT nonsense a few years ago.

    104
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    Mute vv7k7Z3c
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    Oct 14th 2014, 4:33 PM

    Hi – I just added in the 0.6% to the first Pension Levy mention there, that’s the one abolished by end of 2014. The second part was mentioned in its section. Thanks!

    18
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    Mute Simon Barnes
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    Oct 14th 2014, 4:37 PM

    buying older electoral vote, pure and simple

    47
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    Mute Fluich It
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    Oct 14th 2014, 4:39 PM

    25% is free money to people with no jobs. I have no problem giving it to those that worked and lost a job. But it should not be given to those that have never worked, most especially those that didn’t work during the boom years when jobs were everywhere.

    Simon it is not just for pensioners, it is for all social welfare receipients.

    Loads of money for free ‘social houses’ too.

    117
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    Mute Chris Kirk
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    Oct 14th 2014, 4:43 PM

    The Christmas bonus is zero compared to the bankers bonus on screwing their customers

    33
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    Mute Eugene Comaskey
    Favourite Eugene Comaskey
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    Oct 14th 2014, 4:53 PM

    I really see the greed coming through here. It’s all about me, me, me. Can you all not see that we have a huge number of poor people all over the place, people who are really struggling.

    53
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    Mute VoiceOfVanguard
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    Oct 14th 2014, 4:56 PM

    @Eugene.
    yes, they’re called the working class.

    66
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    Mute Simon Barnes
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    Oct 14th 2014, 4:59 PM

    The only greed I see is the government greedily trying to buy votes,

    36
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    Mute Jennie
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    Oct 14th 2014, 4:40 PM

    25% Christmas bonus to social welfare recipients…. eh why?
    There’s a million better things I could think of spending that money on.

    101
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    Mute Livida Kelly
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    Oct 14th 2014, 4:45 PM

    It’s for pensioners!!! Relax you and I won’t be any worse off

    14
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    Mute John Deane
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    Oct 14th 2014, 4:47 PM

    Livida

    its for all Social Welfare Recipients

    53
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    Mute Livida Kelly
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    Oct 14th 2014, 4:54 PM

    Really?? I am pretty sure it was announced that it was for pensioners on a social welfare payment.
    Aah well, I still won’t be any worse off so won’t begrudge anyone who needs it, it’s a once off 25% payment for gods sake… Take a look at what enda and Joan are taking from the tax payer…

    30
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    Mute Jennie
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    Oct 14th 2014, 5:02 PM

    In reading the above article it looks to be to all social welfare recipients. And it’s a once off to a huge number of people. I’m pretty sure that adds up to just a little bit more than pocket change.
    My point was this would be better spent elsewhere.

    37
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    Mute Mark Gerard Lochlain
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    Oct 15th 2014, 6:59 AM

    A 25% Christmas bonus going to people that I know for a fact wouldn’t get up to warm themselves!!!!! And then people going out to work are being screwed!!! A joke!

    65
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    Mute Nick Caffrey
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    Oct 15th 2014, 7:29 AM

    Quite the little right wing fascist, aren’t we?

    9
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    Mute Sinead
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    Oct 15th 2014, 9:24 AM

    Not everyone on social welfare is there by choice, some of them are but not all! Both my parents worked and paid taxes up until my dad became terminally ill and was not fit to work anymore and shortly after that my mum became his carer (leaving her full time job!). Are you saying you’d begrudge them a 100 or so at Christmas when they struggle to make ends meet through no fault of their own?

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    Mute Sean Hanaway
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    Oct 16th 2014, 5:01 PM

    No one says your family doesnt deserve it, it’s the family who spent all day doing nothing or drinking and are able to buy there 3 kids ipads and laptops and phones for xmas because they get the dole, rent supplement and what ever else extra and whos kids left school early because they couldn’t be bothered and are know also sitting on the dole, where as other people who go out and work 50+ hrs a week and have so high of taxes they struggle to afford presents for there kids because there money is being used to pay for the other ppl who definetely do not deserve it!

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    Mute Paul Dunne
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    Oct 14th 2014, 4:32 PM

    Lucinda is on tv now blasting the government she backed until she lost the plot .

    56
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    Mute Peter Grimes
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    Oct 14th 2014, 4:28 PM

    When they get rid of the water tax

    35
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    Mute The Shineading
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    Oct 14th 2014, 5:21 PM

    What happened to free health care for under 5 children which was promised last budget if I can remember? Not holding my breath with this €5 increase in Childcare Benefit

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    Mute Jason Ebbs
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    Oct 15th 2014, 8:07 AM

    I’m going to be saving the government the tax relief amount on my water allowance……

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    Mute Joe Murtagh
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    Oct 15th 2014, 11:43 AM

    Of d fags so

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