FOOTBALL and politics. Arguably the most combustible of combinations. Yet leading politicians often awkwardly profess an interest in the beautiful game to show how in tune they are with the common people.

In 1995, John Major, the beleaguered, cricket-loving Conservative Prime Minister, visited Newcastle United and was given one of its famous black and white shirts by manager Kevin Keegan. Not to be outdone, a month later, his Labour nemesis Tony Blair was pictured going one better; playing headers with the ex-Liverpool player.

During the 2015 election campaign, a supposedly devout Aston Villa supporter David Cameron came a cropper when he urged people to support West Ham; such an easy mistake to make given both teams play in claret and blue.

By sheer coincidence this week we saw Boris Johnson clapping his hands above his head, in true football fan style, as striker Harry Kane scored against Germany to ensure England went through to the Euro 2020 quarter-finals this weekend.

Now the Prime Minister is not known for his love of the beautiful game; Brexit, yes, but not football.

Who could forget his contribution during an England v Germany charity match in 2006 when he stumbled and, with great finesse, headbutted an opponent in the stomach?

However, Boris knows a publicity stunt when he sees one. No doubt, no pictures of the PM watching Tuesday night’s match would have emerged if Germany had won.

Certainly, England’s Euro 2020 victory sets an interesting context for when Angela Merkel visits Chequers today for talks with Mr Johnson.

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The German Chancellor has called for all EU member states to ban UK nationals because of the Delta variant infection rates here. Boris will, of course, be on his best diplomatic behaviour with not the slightest hint of schadenfreude.

But the PM has not been the only one caught clambering on to the football bandwagon.

Nicola Sturgeon came in for a deal of disbelief when pictures of her were posted on social media watching Scotland’s match against the Czech Republic, gesticulating when Scotland looked like scoring or conceding. Is the First Minister a football fan or just a Scotland fan?

Following England’s victory on Tuesday and the outflow of emotion south of the Border, Ms Sturgeon posted a gallus tweet, congratulating Gareth Southgate’s team but adding: “Still just one team unbeaten by England so far in @Euro2020” with a saltire and a winking emoji.

During PMQs, after Labour’s Keir Starmer congratulated England he looked over and smirked at the SNP’s Ian Blackford, who later congratulated England but then noted with some delight: “They failed to even score a goal; nae luck.”

If England do progress to the final, expect Mr Johnson to be in the hunt for some reflected glory. His presence at Wembley would seem a certainty.

And if England do manage to win, the PM will be hoping to get a football bounce in the polls just as, coincidentally, the country is due to finally emerge from the Covid restrictions.

A myth once grew up that Harold Wilson led Labour to its landslide General Election victory in 1966 on the back of England’s famous World Cup win; the only problem with that was the match took place four months after the poll.

Yet there is a view that England’s defeat against Germany – who else – in the 1970 World Cup, just four days before that year’s election, helped Ted Heath’s Tories oust Labour.

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Later, Mr Wilson rubbished the notion that a football match, however important, could influence how people voted, declaring: “Governance of a country has nothing to do with a study of its football fixtures.”

This from a man who in 1964 lobbied BBC chiefs to switch the timing of a showing of the popular TV comedy Steptoe and Son on the evening of polling day for fear it would stop Labour supporters going out to vote for his party.

He succeeded as Corporation chiefs aired the programme once the polls had closed. Labour won by just four seats.

Later, Anthony Crosland, who became Foreign Secretary in the Callaghan administration, attributed Labour’s 1970 defeat to a “mix of party complacency and the disgruntled Match of the Day millions”.

But will Scots care how far England go in the Euros?

True, the nation has had to endure broadcasters endlessly repeating Paul Gascoigne’s wonder goal from England’s victory against Scotland during the 1996 Euro tournament. Was it a coincidence that a few years later Scots overwhelmingly voted for devolution?

Could an England victory this time round become a political football and help push Scotland towards independence?

The rivalry between the two great footballing nations is understandable and while some Scots will adopt an Anyone But England view, others will profess complete indifference; some just might – privately – support the auld enemy.

In the run-up to the 2006 World Cup Andy Murray came in for criticism when it was said he would be adopting an ABE stance, which sparked something of a backlash among the strawberry and cream crowd at Wimbledon. ABE T-shirts can still be bought online.

Of course ever since 1966, Scots – and others – have had to endure the constant reference to England’s one and only major victory. It comes up at every tournament as the nation’s “golden generation” of footballers are tipped to go all the way but don’t; although they came close at the 2018 World Cup, reaching the semi-finals only to be beaten by Croatia.

As I gently raise the possibility of England winning Euro 2020 in two weeks’ time in London, such a development could become insufferable for some Scots facing the prospect of all those endless replays on the telly. Talk about 55 years of hurt.

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