Boris Johnson has taken a brutal swipe at bitter political opponent and former Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon , calling her "useless". Writing in his forthcoming memoir 'Unleashed' , he mocked Sturgeon and her husband over questions surrounding the Scottish National Party (SNP) finances and the high-profile seizure of a £110,000 motorhome. Johnson’s book, set to be published on Thursday, reflects on his time as Prime Minister and features his characteristic wit and jabs at political opponents, with Sturgeon being no exception.

In a particularly scathing passage, the former Prime Minister refers to Sturgeon’s handling of the Scottish independence campaign - a cause she championed throughout her leadership, as "more or less dead" by the time of his departure from office. He credits the Covid pandemic for having "settled the question for a generation at least," referring to the drop in momentum for the independence movement during and after the crisis. He says: "As it turned out, her Scotland-only measures were probably useless.

There is no perceptible difference in the overall mortality rate between England and Scotland." The former Prime Minister goes on to ridicule Sturgeon’s reputation, writing: "Her halo slipped, and it turned out she and her husband had some questions to answer about how SNP funds were spent." This is a pointed reference to the ongoing police investigation into the SNP’s finances, a saga that has embroiled Sturgeon and her husband, Peter .