Boris Johnson told that people who've lost their jobs don't want 'a hug' from him

Boris Johnson offered “to put our arms around the people of this country” – but he was ridiculed by the SNP's Ian Blackford in response.

In an especially bizarre PMQs moment, Boris Johnson responded to Blackford’s question about extending the furlough scheme for workers in Scotland.

The SNP’s Westminster leader, referring to the scheme’s end at the end of October, asked: “Will the PM show the leadership required and save the jobs?”

In a characteristically long and rambling non-answer, the prime minister said:

We will continue to put our arms around the people of this country going through a very tough time and come up with the appropriate, creative and imaginative schemes to keep them in work and keep the economy moving.

Blackford called it “so poor”. He then claimed that the alternative to extending the furlough scheme is putting 61,000 jobs in Scotland at risk.

Then, in a soundbite-y moment, he told the prime minister:

The only reassurance the prime minister gave those Scottish workers is saying that he would throw his arms around them.

Prime minister, I can tell you, the last thing those 61,000 Scots are looking for is a hug from you.

On social media, people seemed to agree with the sentiment that they don't need a hug from Boris Johnson right now (even if he didn't actually say that, Blackford did).

Thankfully the PM swiftly clarified that he was invoking a metaphor and didn't actually want to hug people. ​​​But this begs the question: what does "put your arms around" actually mean in terms of policy?