SNP's Ian Blackford accuses Downing Street of 'political smear' after aides reportedly blamed him for leaking Boris Johnson's holiday location

The Scottish National Party’s leader in Westminster has accused Downing Street of “the worst kind of political smear”, after aides reportedly accused him of leaking the location of Boris Johnson’s holiday break.

Mr Johnson’s staycation in Scotland with fiancee Carrie Symonds and baby son Wilfred had to be cut short for security reasons after photographs of the isolated farmhouse - and the tent erected outside - appeared in the Daily Mail.

And reports elsewhere in the press later suggested that Number 10 suspected Ian Blackford, in whose Ross, Skye and Lochaber constituency the house is situated, of letting slip where he was.

In a point of order to the House of Commons, Mr Blackford claimed there had been a “targeted political smear from the prime minister’s office” against him making “entirely and deliberately false” allegations that he had helped identify the holiday location.

“The photographer who provided the material for the original Daily Mail front page later confirmed that I was not the source in revealing the Prime Minister’s location – a location, I might add, I was not even aware of,” he said.

“However, by this point the damage was done. This matter has not only been the worst kind of political smear, the false allegation has equally resulted in security implications for myself and my family given its serious and personal nature.”

Mr Blackford said threats against him were made on social media, adding: “It’s a very serious situation when the apparatus of UK Government can be deployed in this way, manufacturing false briefings in order to attack an opposition politician.”

Mr Johnson said he had a “wonderful” staycation in Mr Blackford’s constituency, adding in the Commons: “I’m very happy to accept the assurances that he gives.

“However, I just draw his attention… to a tweet by a chap called Torcuil Crichton (the Westminster editor of the Daily Record) on 17 August saying: ‘Ferocious midge count in Wester Ross tonight, I hear. Must be bad if you’re fair-skinned and camping’ to which an account, which purports to be (Mr Blackford) but I’m sure it isn’t because of what he’s just said, says ‘I wonder if an education at Eton stands you in good stead for these blighters’.

“Anyway, I’m happy to accept his assurances and protestations and I think we should leave it at that.”

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle expressed concerns about the security implications for both Mr Johnson and Mr Blackford, adding to MPs: “Let’s be very, very careful and let’s learn from this.”