Boris Johnson in Scotland: Glasgow reacts to Prime Minister's visit

Our sister title The National took to the streets in Glasgow to find out what the public really thinks about Johnson, his policies and whether or not he should have accepted First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s invitation for a meeting.

The First Minister had invited the Tory leader to talks in Edinburgh during his two-day visit this week, but he said he did not have the time.

The National polled the public on what they would say to the Prime Minister if they had the chance.

Piper Tammin Columb said she doesn't agree with Johnson's policies

One person said they would call him a “dafty”, others raised concerns about his “divisive politics” and some said they would tell him to resign as he isn’t fit to be Prime Minister.

Tammin Columb, 19, a piper who was busking on Buchanan Street, said simply: “That I don’t like him at all and what he believes in or really does, and that I wouldn’t like him in my country or running my country.”

Abdal Khalaf, 37, a ship captain, said: “I don’t think he has the right to be in this position at all, I don’t feel like he’s fit enough. He doesn’t rule the country properly and I don’t like his policies and I don’t like his strategies.

Abdal Khalaf said he would want Johnson to step down as Prime Minister

“As an example, what happened with Covid, we can see his speech every day or two weeks about the pandemic, and I can honestly speaking when I’m comparing between Boris Johnson and what Nicola Sturgeon is doing for Scotland, I can see the difference.”

Claire McTier, 40, a teacher, said she would raise her fears over the Prime Minister’s “divisive politics”.

She said: “I think there’s a lot of, it’s almost like an old fashioned class system where if you went to Eton and you know the Prime Minister and all his friends then you’re guaranteed to get a top job in government and elsewhere.

“And, if you aren’t part of that existence then it becomes increasingly difficult. I worry about places where I think clearly communities are really struggling but they’re still voting conservative.

"I feel like it's almost like Boris Johnson laughs at these people and then they’re kind of forced into voting conservative because he’s promising more investment in their communities and things but I think it's all hollow promises.

“I really worry about that increasing division in society. I think in Scotland people are a lot more aware of it, maybe don’t fall for it as easily as seems to be the case in a lot of English communities.”

Claire McTier said she would raise Johnson's 'divisive politics' with the PM 

Don Sherlock, 34, a social work student, said: “Not that he’s a guy that I would ever choose to be speaking to, I’d be telling him he should be ashamed of himself. My own discomfort lies in being governed by somebody that is no relation to the working class people.

“I’d rather be independent, not away from England, away from London, and away from guys like himself. I’ve got no want or desire to be governed by people, well, like you Boris, as far away as I can get from you the better. I think you’re damaging, I think you're a puppet, I think you're owned.

"I don’t think you're making any decisions, and the decisions that you’re making or the decisions that someone’s telling you to make or making for you, are poor, damaging and here’s hoping, independence.”

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Asked what he thought of Johnson refusing to meet the FM, Sherlock added: “I’m not surprised, if he doesn’t take the interview he doesn’t have to give the answers. He knows the answers.”

Jack Mandy, 18, said he wouldn’t pull any punches if he ran into the PM. He said: “I’d just call him a dafty, the c***’s a dafty.

Jack Mandy said he would call the PM a 'dafty' if he had the chance

“He’s no jumping about the script, look at the state of the c***. Obviously I don’t have much opinions on the guy, I think people are quite unfair to him, I don’t think he’s as bad as every c*** says he is, but he’s still a dafty.”

Asked if he thinks Johnson is a good PM, Mandy added: “I’ve not felt the repercussions of anything bad he’s done, but I think he’s quite classist. I don’t think the top one and two per cent should be deciding the rest of the rules for everyone.”