‘Strength and security’ of UK shown by Covid response says Rishi Sunak

The Coronavirus pandemic has shown the “strength and security” of Scotland being part of the United Kingdom, Chancellor Rishi Sunak has said.

Rishi Sunak hailed the 'strength and security' of the UK

And defeating the virus will be a “collective endeavour” across the four nations of the UK, he added during an address to the Scottish Conservatives conference today.

He said that “unprecedented” Treasury intervention has helped safeguard over one million Scots jobs through the furlough and employment support schemes, as well as "bounce back loans" for 79,000 Scots firms.

The Scottish Government has also received an additional £8.2 billion to support public services, he added.

"That's what pooling and sharing our resources across our four nations means," the Chancellor went on.

"It means that when we're facing a global pandemic, the Scottish people know that they have the strength and security of the whole of the United Kingdom behind them.

"This virus doesn't recognise the boundaries between our nations, it affects us all. We share the challenge of a global pandemic together."

The Chancellor, who has extended the furlough scheme until next March, added that he values the “vital contribution” that Scots make to support people living in other parts of the country.

"Controlling this virus and supporting those who have been affected by it is a collective endeavour, one that we all have a role in,” he said.

"The enduring principle that when we come together as one United Kingdom, we can achieve far more than we do as four separate nations is as relevant today in the most difficult times in all of our lives, than it has ever been.

"But if we come together then we can beat this virus.”

A message from the Editor:Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by Coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription.