THE SNP's Westminster leader has challenged Boris Johnson over the Treasury's funding for covid. 

Yesterday Rishi Sunak announced devolved governments would be getting more funding to help them tackle coronavirus. 

However questions were raised about the Treasury's claims of extra money, after it appeared the department were giving Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland an advance on cash due to be provided next year.

Nicola Sturgeon said the announcement was 'smoke and mirrors' from the Treasury, and the funds were not additional to what the Scottish Government would be receiving in Barnett Consequentials anyway. 

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Mr Sunak made the announcement yesterday minutes before the First Minister was due to give a vital update to Holyrood on the latest round of restrictions being imposed in Scotland. 

Ian Blackford, the SNP's Westminster leader, challenged the Prime Minister over the extra funding claims during a raucous session in the Commons. 

He said: " The Scottish Government is delivering £100 million from our fixed budget to support businesses. But we all know, more is needed.

"Yesterday the UK Government put out a press release saying new financial support was coming. But last night the Treasury u-turned – saying no new money was available.

"So Prime Minister, which is it? Is there any new money to support businesses or was it all just smoke and mirrors once again?" 

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Mr Johnson responded: "There is more money, as he knows, through Barnett consequentials. There are also further powers under the distribution resettlement for the Scottish administration to raise money, if it chooses to. "They have that option but we will of course continue with the discussions with the Scottish administration." 

Mr Blackford replied: "That simply wasn't an answer, and it really just does confirm it's all smoke and mirrors. There is no new money for Scotland."

He said it showed the people "can't trust a word that this Prime Minister says - dodgy dealings on renovations and his distant relationship with the truth. All of it has left him weak."

The MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber continued: "Last night this UK Government struggled to get measures through this house that Scotland has had for months.

"A Prime Minister who can't do what is needed to protect the public is no prime minister at all.

"Nobody wants further restrictions but Scotland can't afford to be hamstrung, as the Prime Minister can't act because he's got 99 problems behind him." 

A UK Government source told The Herald: "The Treasury is providing extra money which the Scottish Government will be able to spend immediately offering certainty and guanteed funds to deal with Covid.

“Scotland already has a record-breaking block grant of £41bn and has received a further £14.5bn to deal with the pandemic.”

It comes after 99 Tory MPs rebelled against the Prime Minister's plans to implement vaccine passports in England, forcing him to rely on Labour's support to get the measures through the Commons. 

The Prime Minister also faced questions over his leadership from Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, who said “the only person undermining public confidence is sitting right there”..

Sir Keir said: “His MPs are wrong to vote against basic public health measures, but they are not wrong to distrust him.

“Last week the Conservative member for the Forest of Dean asked why should people at home listening to the Prime Minister do things that people working in Downing Street are not prepared to do?”

He quoted a similar question from another Conservative backbencher, and then asked for the Prime Minister’s response.

Mr Johnson said: “The answer is very very clear and it’s there in what the public are doing, because they can see that the Government is getting on with delivering on their priorities, not just on the economy but above all on delivering the fastest booster rollout in Europe.”

He added: “We’ve done almost double the percentage of any other European country, we’ve boosted 86% of the over-80s in this country, 91% of the those aged 75 to 79, that is an astonishing achievement, and I think that is what the people of this country are focused on rather than the partisan trivia that he continually raises.”