BORIS Johnson has refused to apologise over threats and smears against SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford.
The MP For Ross, Skye and Lochabar told Boris Johnson that he had been subject to threats and his family security compromised after government sources alleged that he had been responsible for revealing the Prime Minister's holiday location this summer.
Blackford raised the issue as an urgent question during Prime Minister's Questions this afternoon, urging the PM to
He said: " On 21st of August, the Daily Mail wrote a front page story, revealing the location of the PM's holiday in Scotland.
"This was a violation of his family's privacy that neither myself nor my party condone.
"Later the same day a senior Conservative source in Downing Street told the Sun newspaper, and I quote, 'The finger of blame for all this getting out is being pointed at the SNP particularly in Blackford, who is local. '
"This was subsequently repeated in a number of newspapers and broadcast outlets. This allegation and briefing was entirely and deliberately false.
"It was a targeted political smear from the Prime Minister's Office."
Blackford said he and his family were threatened as a result of the false allegations, and added: "I can see the Prime Minister pulling a face but all you have to do is to go to social media and see the threats that I was forced to witness.
"It is a very serious situation, that the apparatus of the UK government could be deployed in this way, manufacturing false briefings in order to attack an opposition politician.
"I raised this issue with the Prime Minister's office however, as I have not received a response. I'm raising this point of order today to ensure these false briefings are now stopped and are never repeated for any parliamentarian."
The Prime Minister said he had a "wonderful staycation" in Scotland, but refused to apologise for the briefings.
He referred to social media activity by Ian Blackford, where he commented on a post about midges in Wester Ross but said: "I'm happy to accept his assurances and protestations and I think we should leave it at that."
Speaker Lindsay Hoyle intervened and added: "I'm very concerned about the security implications of the Prime Minister and the security of the leader of the SNP. Please can I just say to everyone, let's be very, very careful. Let's learn from this. And obviously, it is on the record from both parties... But please, let's take each other's security very, very seriously."
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