In an explosive interview at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon witheringly condemned former Prime Minister Theresa May, saying meeting with her was “soul destroying” – she also had some harsh words for her successor.
Speaking to broadcaster Iain Dale, she described meeting the former and current UK premiers as “very different experience”.
"I don't want to be too derogatory or pejorative about Theresa May…but having conversations with [her] was pretty soul destroying. She’d never depart from a script, no matter where you tried to take the conversation,” Sturgeon said.
The Scottish National Party chief recalled entering one meeting with May and wondering whether it was feasible to get off on a “gentler start” before jumping into areas in which they disagreed.
Sturgeon – a big footwear fan – thought she’d break the ice by complimenting May on her “really stylish” shoes.
“In that instant I could see in her eyes she didn't have an answer in the script before her for this. So what should have been a light-hearted moment became really quite awkward,” Sturgeon lamented.
Her meeting with Boris Johnson was described as significantly less excruciating.
"Talking to Boris, at least it was like having a conversation, albeit a bit of a crazy one, and you could debate and share views and disagree on things, more than agree, so I'll say that for him. It's a different experience,” she said.
Nonetheless, Sturgeon suggested his election had sped up the timeline for Scottish independence.
"The case for independence is an entirely optimistic one, it's about being in charge of our future, it's about making our own luck, owning our own mistakes and learning from them. There’s a growing sense of urgency that if we don't want to get dragged down a path we don't want to go down, then we need to consider becoming independent sooner rather than later,” she concluded.