Boris Johnson “would like” to scrap the Scottish Parliament and “reverse” devolution, Dominic Cummings has claimed.
The former Downing Street aide said the prime minister regarded Holyrood as a “disaster” and much preferred power centralised in Westminster.
The comments, on Mr Cummings blog, have drawn widespread condemnation – with the SNP claiming it shows “we cannot trust the Tories to protect the future of the Scottish Parliament”.
Mr Cummings, who left Number 10 after a major falling-out with Mr Johnson, said: “Boris is an unthinking unionist. T
“He thinks devolution/Scottish Parliament was a disaster, he would like to reverse it, but wont dare try.”
Responding, the SNP’s Rona Mackay said: “This lays bare the undeniable threat Boris Johnson and his Tories pose towards the very future of our democratically elected Scottish Parliament – his former right-hand man makes clear they would scrap Holyrood if they thought they could get away with it.
“The Tory threat to Scotland’s powers is already fully underway as Boris Johnson has been undermining the Scottish Parliament by stealth by grabbing powers through the Internal Market Bill and the Shared Prosperity Fund.
“There is sustained support for our Scottish Parliament and these revelations prove beyond all doubt that we cannot trust the Tories to protect the future of it.”
A spokesperson for the Scottish Conservatives said: “The Prime Minister has been very clear that he supports devolution but regards this SNP Government as a disaster.”