Boris Johnson 'hiding' during Scotland visit, jokes Anas Sarwar

Anas Sarwar has joked Boris Johnson was “hiding” during his trip to Scotland on Monday as the Scottish Labour leader named him “the greatest gift to the SNP”.

Mr Sarwar made the remark as the Prime Minister made a rare trip in Scotland following the announcement of plans around freeports.

In an interview with Times Radio, presenter Matt Chorley pointed out Mr Johnson was in Scotland, to which the Scottish Labour leader jokingly replied: “He’s hiding. Have you found him yet?”

Mr Sarwar went on to say Johnson was a “disaster for the United Kingdom” and is “the biggest gift to the SNP”, saying he is a “liar and a charlatan”.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar joked Prime Minister Boris Johnson was "hiding" during his trip to Scotland (Photo: PA).

His comments come as police investigate a total of 12 gatherings in Downing Street as they examine whether Covid restrictions were broken.

However, Mr Sarwar also said the Labour party in Scotland "has not been good enough” and this was why they have “kept on losing elections”.

He said: "Anyone that tells you ‘we’ve been great, it’s the punters that have been wrong’ is absolutely wrong.”

Mr Sarwar said exposing the “failures of the SNP” was not enough, but people needed to “positively vote” for Labour.

Before he became leader in 2021, Mr Sarwar said that he had not grasped how “hollowed out” his party was.

He stressed Scottish Labour fundraised just £250 in the 12 months before he was elected.

Since he took over, Mr Sarwar said the party has raised nearly £1 million.

He said: “I think we can demonstrate we are in a different place and we are putting together a properly functioning organisation that seeks to not just be a name on a ballot paper, but a party that can run the country.”

The Scottish Labour leader said he wished Britain had never left the European Union and that he one day hopes to rejoin. However, he said it was a “false choice” for an independent Scotland to rejoin.

He added: "I don’t see how we can credibly say we want to have a closer relationship with Portugal, France, Germany ... but we want a more distanced relationship with England, Wales and Northern Ireland.”

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