Boris Johnson says he has no 'ill will' towards Nicola Sturgeon
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Boris Johnson and Nicola Sturgeon had a "friendly" relationship, according to the former prime minister
Boris Johnson has claimed he had a "friendly" relationship with Nicola Sturgeon during the coronavirus pandemic.
The ex-prime minister denied feelings of "ill will" but made jibes against the SNP.
He previously said he thought it was wrong to hold regular meetings with devolved leaders.
Ms Sturgeon has said Mr Johnson's reign was characterised by "chaos and complete lack of integrity".
The former prime minister was asked about evidence given by a senior aide, who said there was "tension" between the prime minister and first minister and that they "didn't like each other very much".
Lord Edward Lister suggested to the inquiry that there was a reluctance from Downing Street for the pair to hold meetings, while Mr Johnson said previously he preferred for Michael Gove to liaise with devolved leaders.
Mr Johnson said of Ms Sturgeon: "When I have talked to her, we have got on very well and had a friendly relationship."
Under questioning from Claire Mitchell KC, who was representing bereaved Scottish families, he said he had no "ill will" towards the former first minister.
He added: "Genuinely my relations with her have always been friendly and professional."
Overall, Mr Johnson said he understood the "legitimate, democratic desire" of devolved administrations to have their own approach to public health.
Mr Johnson described Michael Gove as adept at "bringing people together"
Asked why his cabinet minister Mr Gove led dealings with devolved leaders, Mr Johnson said it was a more "grown-up" approach designed to take the "steam out of things" between Holyrood and Westminster.
"Much as I love the SNP, politically there was a certain amount of toing and froing between the SNP and me as the prime minister," he told the inquiry.
The ex-Tory leader described Mr Gove as "well-suited to the job of bringing people together, hearing people's opinions, conciliating without people who are not necessarily my number one political fans feeling the need to chip paint off the government".
Mr Johnson said there had sometimes been "a dissonance in the message" between UK governments when ideally there would have been "complete coherence".
Asked about differences in messaging, Mr Johnson told the inquiry: "Whatever the SNP may think, the virus thinks this is all one country."
After Mr Johnson suggested on Wednesday that mixed messaging from different administrations was a problem during pandemic, a source close to Ms Sturgeon said: "Even Nicola's harshest critics recognise the care, clarity and openness of her communications throughout the pandemic.
"After spending so long dissembling about his own disgraceful behaviour, it is time for Boris Johnson to stop blaming others and take responsibility for his own decisions."
Ms Sturgeon, as well as Welsh first minister Mark Drakeford, have expressed frustration at the lack of meetings they had with the Westminster government during the Covid crisis.
But Mr Johnson feared working closely with first ministers could make the UK look like a "mini-EU of four nations".
When the former prime minister announced his resignation in 2022, Ms Sturgeon said there was an "overwhelming and very widespread sense of relief".