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Charles Grant, Director of Centre for European Reform, said Number 10 “are worried about Scotland” because Nicola Sturgeon’s Scottish National Party could do “very well” in the May 2021 Holyrood elections. He said Unionists are “praying” for Prime Minister Boris Johnson to strike a Brexit deal to save the future of the UK.

Mr Grant said on Twitter: “No 10 is getting worried about Scotland. SNP may do v well in next spring’s Scottish election and would do even better if BJ bungles Brexit by going for no deal.

“Unionists in Scotland pray for a deal. (No deal would also make the N Ireland-GB border much harder to manage.)”

The SNP are by far the biggest party in the Scottish Parliament but are just shy of an overall majority. Any increase at next year’s election could be seen as giving Ms Sturgeon a mandate to demand a second independence referendum.

It comes on the same day Prime Minister Boris Johnson arrived in Scotland where he said the coronavirus crisis has shown the benefits of the union working together.

As he arrived in Orkney, he said the strength of the UK has been critical in the response to COVID-19 and spoke about his desire to “build back better” after the pandemic.

Ahead of his arrival in Stromness, a small group of masked Scottish independence protesters gathered, waving signs that said “Hands off Scotland” and “Our Scotland, our future”, while an “Indy Ref Now” placard was seen on the side of a van.

Mr Johnson told the BBC: “What you have seen throughout this crisis is the union working together with money for supporting people through furlough, the Army working on the testing, moving people around.

“But now what you want to do is build back better together with a green recovery and here in Orkney they are streets ahead on hydrogen technology, on green technology.”

The UK and Scottish Governments are both contributing £50 million to a £100 million growth deal for the Northern and Western Isles.

Mr Johnson hailed this as a “real opportunity for people here to get some funding to increase what they are already doing, amazing new green technology”.

He added: “Around Orkney they could supply 25 percent of the UK’s energy needs if they had the infrastructure to go with it so we’re looking at ways to support the council here, to support local leaders in their ambitions.”

Speaking ahead of his trip – which comes ahead of Friday’s one-year anniversary of him entering Downing Street, Mr Johnson said the coronavirus crisis had shown the “sheer might” of the UK, with almost 900,000 workers in Scotland benefiting from UK Government assistance.

But Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon hit back and claimed his presence north of the border highlights one of the “key arguments” for independence.

She tweeted: “I welcome the PM to Scotland today. One of the key arguments for independence is the ability of Scotland to take our own decisions, rather than having our future decided by politicians we didn’t vote for, taking us down a path we haven’t chosen. His presence highlights that.”

Mr Johnson will not meet the First Minister during the visit to Scotland – which is his first since December’s general election.

Instead, Downing Street said the Prime Minister will visit businesses hit by the pandemic, those working in green energy and military personnel to thank them for their efforts in the response to coronavirus.

His visit comes after a surge in support for Scottish independence in recent months, according to polls, with two Panelbase surveys reporting 54 percent of respondents would like to see Scotland split from the UK.

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