Boris Johnson is 56 years old. He has been the prime minister for almost a year but somehow, someway he believes that there is no border between England and Scotland.
A row has escalated between Johnson and Scotland's first minister Nicola Sturgeon after she said that she will not rule out the possibility of imposing quarantine measures on people entering Scotland from other parts of the UK. An angered Johnson then lashed out at Sturgeon in PMQs on Wednesday and astonishingly said in response to a question from Tory MP Andrew Bowie, who is incidentally the MP for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine :
There have been no such discussions with the Scottish administration about that but I would point out to what he knows very well – there is no such thing as a border between England and Scotland.
Where to start with this?!
There is obviously a border between England and Scotland, otherwise, as Sturgeon put it, 'there would be no jurisdiction on her powers' and great footballers like Kenny Dalglish and Graeme Souness would have played for England (that's just an example, don't hate us as well Scotland). In fact there has been an established Anglo-Scottish in place since 973.
Johnson might have been referring to the fact that there is are no border checks for anyone travelling between the two countries but this is basic pre-GCSE geography and the prime minister has found himself being ridiculed for such an absurd suggestion.
That is ... not correct https://t.co/ztBdHZUOzn— The National (@The National) 1593608220
Yet again the lack of knowledge of the UK & British history is absolutely stark: "There is no such thing as a borde… https://t.co/CXD6q6YXhp— Gerry Hassan (@Gerry Hassan) 1593602314
Wait until you here this. The new geography professor (ie. Boris Johnson) tells the world there is no border betwee… https://t.co/wlVptORfKG— Kelly Macdonald #DissolveTheUnion (@Kelly Macdonald #DissolveTheUnion) 1593602579
Behold, the non-existent border between Scotland and England! #PMQs https://t.co/hZzWP6DQ1c— Nursie (@Nursie) 1593602836
Since there is no longer a border between Scotland and England I will be wiping crime from Scotland by assigning al… https://t.co/6RCZDgRTwz— Chief Miekelson - WATCH SCOT SQUAD ON IPLAYER (@Chief Miekelson - WATCH SCOT SQUAD ON IPLAYER) 1593605644
Attacking @NicolaSturgeon over refusing to rule out quarantine measures for people coming to Scotland … https://t.co/nL0zZsCA2p— @petermacmahon (@@petermacmahon) 1593603353
New plans for Scotland England border, post Covid 19. https://t.co/ojpSZj3C30— Iain Macwhirter (@Iain Macwhirter) 1593609889
@adamboultonSKY @BorisJohnson So I can use Scottish law to sell my house in Surrey then?— Chris Smith (@Chris Smith) 1593604544
@adamboultonSKY @BorisJohnson So Scots Law therefore is a myth. All those ‘not proven’ verdicts must be a figment o… https://t.co/vq4nLvqtW0— Irvine Welsh (@Irvine Welsh) 1593606404
Oof, he’ll come to regret saying that. https://t.co/DU1JmMagjJ— Dr Mike Galsworthy (@Dr Mike Galsworthy) 1593604245
Says the PM who has introduced a hard border between Britain and Northern Ireland https://t.co/fLTOWVZM1w— Kirsty Hughes (@Kirsty Hughes) 1593609251
Across the border there are different legal systems, different income tax brackets, different costs to access unive… https://t.co/HEpUoT8lzO— William G. Saraband 🏴🇵🇹🏳️🌈 (@William G. Saraband 🏴🇵🇹🏳️🌈) 1593603262
So the English expression north of the border is pure fiction 😂 https://t.co/kT2Bxi4L5F— Dr Charles Tannock (@Dr Charles Tannock) 1593673618
If Scotland was rampant with Covid and England nearly clear off it, would there be a border then @BorisJohnson ?— Doug McFerrari 🇮🇹 (@Doug McFerrari 🇮🇹) 1593617030
A hit, a palpable hit, ma'am. Boris says: 'There is no border.' Nicola says: 'An absurd statement; if the prime mi… https://t.co/Db0QMJgvl2— Grouse Beater (@Grouse Beater) 1593607158
When PM Boris Johnson said “ There is no Border between Scotland & England “ Scottish Tory @AndrewBowie_MP n… https://t.co/65CewbMUzw— Brendan Hynes (@Brendan Hynes) 1593608787
1,000s of families robbed of a loved one, many businesses on the edge, economy to be “worst” in developed world, ma… https://t.co/RjqSvKHBkr— Ian Murray MP (@Ian Murray MP) 1593603744
Sorry folks you're out of a job as Boris says you don't exist. Scotland and england #border https://t.co/JXqylzYeaE— DimEagleBuckie 🏴🌱🇪🇺 ⚛️ 💛 🤝 💚 (@DimEagleBuckie 🏴🌱🇪🇺 ⚛️ 💛 🤝 💚) 1593611209
Live footage of Boris Johnson ignoring the border between Scotland and England: https://t.co/tk4KugU94I— Sarah Mackie (@Sarah Mackie) 1593605197
“There is no such thing as a border between Scotland and England” says Boris Johnson. So how far do Nicola Sturgeo… https://t.co/iEa0IpmYdQ— Sarah Cowie 🏴🇪🇺 (@Sarah Cowie 🏴🇪🇺) 1593606172
Bowie did offer a response to Sturgeon, adding that the PM is right and that imposing a quarantine would be 'very unhelpful' for the Scottish tourism industry.
👇The Scottish Tourism Sector is just preparing to get back to its feet. To take the legs out from under it with rec… https://t.co/G0hnSYAMk2— Andrew Bowie MP (@Andrew Bowie MP) 1593607054
This whole fiasco is unlikely to quieten talks of another Scottish independence referendum, especially with Brexit nearing completion.
We're not sure when Johnson last went to Scotland but we can guarantee that he is likely to receive a warm welcome when he next decides to travel north of the border.