BORIS Johnson has denounced the SNP for seeking a second independence referendum that would “turn Scotland against itself” but stopped short of saying he would refuse to facilitate one if the SNP gained a majority at the forthcoming Holyrood election.

Expectations had been raised that the Prime Minister would use a keynote speech to the virtual Scottish Conservative conference to explicitly rule out Indyref2 even if the SNP won a majority of seats in the May 6 poll, but he placed the emphasis on how it was up to Scottish Tories to “again stop the SNP from winning a majority in May just like they did in 2016; the only party that can cut the SNP down to size”.

Mr Johnson said the battle against Covid had demonstrated the “brilliance” of the Union as he today sought to underpin it by announcing a relocation of more than 1,000 UK Government jobs to Scotland.

This morning, Michael Gove, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, will be in Glasgow to trumpet the Government’s decision to “co-locate the engine room of the UK Government in Scotland,” by creating a new Cabinet Office HQ in the city, and to move the large swath of official jobs out of Whitehall and across the Scottish border, ending what he called the “Westminster-knows-best approach to policymaking” and to ensure “Scottish voices shape everything we do”.

He added: “Not only will this bring new jobs and investment to Scotland, it will[also] strengthen the diversity of the UK Civil Service.”

As part of the Government’s “levelling-up” agenda and to “build back better” from the pandemic, the PM announced that by 2025:

*the Cabinet Office would establish a second flagship HQ with ministerial offices in Glasgow with at least 500 jobs, “bringing the heart of the UK Government closer to the communities it serves,” and

*the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office would strengthen its “joint-headquarters” in East Kilbride with an extra 500 staff, bringing the total complement to more than 1,500 staff.

The move comes as the Department for Transport announced creating a second headquarters in Birmingham bringing an initial 650 jobs to the city as well as a northern hub to Leeds by the end of 2025.

The strategy to move Government jobs outwith London will see the establishment of a new National Cyber Security Force HQ in the north of England and trade hubs in Wales and Northern Ireland.

The relocation announcement was made as today the Government publishes its landmark foreign policy and national security review, setting out the PM’s vision for a “stronger, more secure, prosperous and resilient UK in 2030”.

The expansion of the Foreign Office in Scotland is being highlighted as part of the foreign and defence strategy, which UK ministers say will drive investment in domestic industries like defence, technology and alternative energy.

Mr Johnson said: “The review also recognises the greatest source of strength - at home and abroad - is the Union between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

“By combining the resources of our Union and pooling the expertise of our citizens in areas such as science and health we have been able to respond to global challenges and project our influence overseas. We will, therefore, ensure our international policy-thinking is driven by the whole UK.”

In his speech to the Scottish Tory conference, the PM highlighted the vaccine rollout, declaring how it had “roared into life in every corner of this land” with 22.5 million inoculated, including more than 1.8m in Scotland.

Noting how every adult across the UK would receive their first jag by the end of July, he said: “What an incredible achievement that is for our country. And it’s been a team effort. It’s been an effort that has shown the brilliance of every part of our Union and has brought our country together.”

Mr Johnson said the collective effort by scientists in Scotland, the organisational might of the armed forces and the caring dedication of NHS staff across the UK had shown what the country could achieve when the four nations pulled together.

“It shows that the great British spirit that saw us through so much adversary in the past, lives on in us today,” he declared.

Referring to the UK’s collective strength, the PM noted how the Treasury’s “broad shoulders” meant an additional £13.3 billion had been delivered to support Scottish public services through the crisis. The Government’s furlough and self-employment support schemes had protected more than 930,000 Scottish jobs while some £3.4bn in loans had helped over 90,000 Scottish businesses.

The PM suggested economic recovery from Covid would only happen with a “collective effort that will require the efforts and strengths of every part of the United Kingdom”.

With that in mind, he said he found it “incredible” that the SNP would choose this moment of national crisis to “again push for separation”.

He told conference: “Just when everything is beginning to reopen again, when we will soon be reunited with our friends and family, the SNP think that this is the time to turn us all against one another, to start another political fight.”

Denouncing the Nationalists’ “obsession” with Indyref2, Mr Johnson suggested even they must have a sense of priority and people were more concerned about their jobs and businesses than another constitutional wrangle.

“It is clear, though, that the SNP are not listening. They are intent on pushing for a referendum, regardless of the cost to Scotland and the whole of the UK.

“So,” he went on, “that means it falls to the Scottish Conservatives to make them listen, to shift the focus in Scotland from division and debate onto recovery and rebuilding.”

The Tory leader claimed Labour was too weak and could not be trusted to stand up to the SNP.

“They would rather work with the SNP to be seen as anti-Conservative than stand up for the unity of the United Kingdom. So, it is up to the Scottish Conservatives to again stop the SNP from winning a majority in May just like they did in 2016. The only party that can cut the SNP down to size.”

In his conference speech today, Douglas Ross will outline a manifesto plan to kickstart a “skills revolution” by proposing £500 ‘Retrain to Rebuild’ accounts to help people get back into work and progress their career.

Stressing the Scottish Tories’ focus would be on rebuilding Scotland’s economy, the party leader will say: “Faced by a tsunami of unemployment we need an emergency response that matches the scale of the problem. Our Retrain to Rebuild accounts would give people in work the support to learn new skills and progress.

“It would give people struggling for work the chance to rapidly retrain and get a new job or kick-start a new career.”

Commenting on the PM’s speech and Government announcements, SNP MSP George Adam said:

“Since 2010, the Tories have axed 7,000 civil service jobs in Scotland. In a period of Westminster austerity, the UK Government chose to disproportionately slash jobs north of the border; today’s announcement is a drop in the ocean against the backdrop of these wide scale cuts.”

He added: “The Tories know that if people vote SNP in May then a fresh referendum is coming; they wouldn’t be spending so much time relocating Whitehall staff to Scotland, if they didn’t.”

Commenting on the PM’s speech Anas Sarwar, the new Scottish Labour leader, said the Conservatives wanted to take Scotland back to the old divisive arguments, adding: “Only Scottish Labour is going into this election with a focus on national recovery and uniting our country.”