Boris Johnson was booed by protesters on his first visit to Scotland today as he arrived for talks with Nicola Sturgeon.
Mr Johnson was jeered as he shook hands with the First Minister at her Bute House HQ.
The less-than warm reception came after the premier promised to renew 'the ties that bind our United Kingdom' and unveiled plans to release £300million for 'growth deals'.
But Mr Johnson is facing fraught discussions with Ms Sturgeon and Scottish Tory leader Ms Davidson, who have both vowed to oppose No Deal.
Ms Sturgeon today accused him of wanting to crash out of the bloc, warning the outcome would be a 'disaster' and demanding Scotland be allowed to 'chart its own course' with another independence referendum. But Mr Johnson retorted that the 2014 vote had been 'once in a generation'.
Protests were held in Glasgow ahead of Mr Johnson's arrival, with opponents wielding posters of his face with the words: 'No thanks.'
The visit came as Mr Johnson ramps up preparations for crashing out of the EU, after he solemnly vowed to take the UK out of the bloc by the end of October with or without an agreement.
Boris Johnson held talks with Nicola Sturgeon in Bute House today on his first visit to Scotland as Prime Minister
The PM was booed by protesters as he arrived for the talks today, although others seemed keen to take photographs
Mr Johnson received a less-than warm reception at Bute House after vowing to push ahead with Brexit with or without a deal
Mr Johnson shook hands with Ms Sturgeon on the steps of Bute House this afternoon
Speaking to reporters at Faslane, Mr Johnson said he was 'with' Ms Davidson in wanting to get a settlement with the EU - but insisted No Deal must happen if the bloc defies his call to rework the Irish border backstop.
'It has been the policy of the Government for a long time now to prepare for no deal, and that is what we are going to do with high hearts and growing confidence, we will prepare for a no-deal Brexit,' he said.
'If our friends and partners in Brussels will not change the Withdrawal Agreement, if they will not accommodate the will of Parliament which has said three times now that they cannot accept the backstop, then obviously you would expect us to get ready and that is what we will do.'
But he appeared to contradict a claim from Brexit minister Michael Gove that No Deal is now the government's 'working assumption' and a 'very real possibility'.
He said he stood by his estimate during the Tory leadership campaign that the chances of leaving without an agreement are a 'million to one', and said his 'assumption is that we can get a new deal'.
Boris Johnson toured the naval base at Faslane today on his first trip to Scotland as PM. He will hold talks with Nicola Sturgeon later
Mr Johnson was taken board HMS Vengeance at Clyde Naval Base, Faslane, this afternoon
The PM was shown around HMS Vengeance during his first visit to Scotland as PM today
Mr Johnson was accompanied by Defence Secretary Ben Wallace on his visit to Faslane today
The premier chatted happy to navy personnel as he was taken on a tour with Defence Secretary Ben Wallace (left)
Mr Johnson is using today's visit to attempt to reassure Tory supporters that the defence of the Union is a priority.
Last week, Mr Johnson followed through on a symbolic pledge to add the responsibility 'Minister for the Union' to the Prime Minister's official job title.
And he said today: 'Our Union is the most successful political and economic union in history. We are a global brand and together we are safer, stronger and more prosperous.
'So as we prepare for our bright future after Brexit, it's vital we renew the ties that bind our United Kingdom.
'I'm proud to be in Scotland today to make clear that I am a passionate believer in our great Union, and I look forward to visiting Wales and Northern Ireland to ensure that every decision I make as Prime Minister promotes and strengthens our Union.'
The Scottish First Minister has warned she would demand a second independence referendum if Mr Johnson pressed ahead with a No Deal Brexit.
Ms Sturgeon said today: 'The people of Scotland did not vote for this Tory Government, they didn't vote for this new Prime Minister, they didn't vote for Brexit and they certainly didn't vote for a catastrophic no-deal Brexit which Boris Johnson is now planning for.'
She added: 'Boris Johnson has formed a hard-line Tory Government with one aim - to take Scotland and the UK out of the EU without a deal.
'Scotland has been ignored throughout the Brexit process and it is now time for everyone who cares about the future of Scotland to come together to chart our own course and say to the Tories - stop driving our country towards disaster.'
Mr Johnson hit out at the 'campaign to destroy the union' from the SNP - and while he refused to unequivocally rule out granting Holyrood permission for a second independence referendum, he said comments that the 2014 ballot was a 'once in a generation' event must be respected.
Asked if he was ruling out a second referendum during his premiership, Mr Johnson said: 'It was a once in a generation consultation of the people, we did it in 2014 and the people were assured then that it was a once in a generation consultation.
'I see no reason now for the politicians to go back on that promise.'
Mr Johnson heaped praise on Ms Davidson, saying: 'I am lost in admiration at what she has achieved, I am a massive fan of the way she has taken the argument to those who would destroy our union.'
The PM is having separate meetings with the First Minister and Ms Davidson this afternoon after visiting HM Naval Base Clyde in Argyll.
Writing in the Mail on Sunday, Ms Davidson said she could not support a No Deal Brexit in any circumstances, pointing out that she is under no obligation to sign up to his timetable of taking the UK out of the EU by October 31.
She said the PM had her 'full support' in pursuing a revised deal which could ensure an orderly exit from the EU. But she added: 'Where I differ with the UK Government is on the question of a No Deal Brexit.
'When I was debating against the pro-Brexit side in 2016, I don't remember anybody saying we should crash out of the EU with no arrangements in place to help maintain the vital trade that flows uninterrupted between Britain and the European Union.
'I don't think the UK Government should pursue a No Deal Brexit, and if it comes to it, I won't support it.'
Ms Davidson, who played a key role in persuading Theresa May that a No Deal Brexit posed a risk to the Union, is expected to repeat the message to Mr Johnson.
Mr Johnson missed the first meeting of the Exit Strategy committee - known as XS - as he made his debut visit to Scotland.
No-deal planning supremo Michael Gove chaired the XS committee in his absence.
He will also lead meetings of the Daily Operations Committee, covering all aspects of the Government's preparations for leaving.
Earlier, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab stepped up the rhetoric again by warning that Brussels was 'not the only game in town' for trade pacts, saying he would be focusing on strengthening ties with the US, Asia and Latin America.
He said the 'stubborn' EU would be to blame if the UK ends up crashing out.
Mr Raab said while there are no 'firm plans' yet, the Government will be using Parliament's summer recess to approach 'growth markets' in Asia, Latin America, and the US to push for future trade deals.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he said: 'I haven't set the firm plans yet, but that will include the US, Latin America, and Asia because the negotiation with the EU is crucially important and we would love to get a deal that is acceptable to the UK, but Brussels is not the only game in town.
'The opportunities of Brexit involve many of those growth markets of the future from Latin America to Asia, and we have got a US President who is speaking very warmly about this country.'
Mr Johnson, pictured at Faslane this afternoon, has unveiled a £300million fund designed to protect the union
Protests were held in Glasgow ahead of Mr Johnson's arrival, with opponents wielding posters of his face with the words: 'No thanks'
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, pictured meeting the Queen last month, warned in a letter to the new PM she would demand a second independence referendum if Mr Johnson pressed ahead with a No Deal Brexit
The protests came as Mr Johnson ramped up his rhetoric on Brexit with three months to go until the UK is due to leave the EU
Mr Johnson missed the first meeting of the Exit Strategy committee - known as XS - as he made his debut visit to Scotland. No-deal planning supremo Michael Gove (pictured in Westminster today) chaired the XS committee in his absence
He added: 'We'll keep straining every sinew if there is a deal to be done, but the EU will need to move and, if they don't, it is incredibly important that we are ready for eventualities.'
He said the Government wants a good deal with the EU but that a 'series of fairly stubborn positions staked out by the EU' have made this difficult.
He said the Government has to be able to offer 'finality' for people by preparing for no-deal.
Asked how he would deal with opposition to no-deal in Scotland, Mr Raab said: 'As unionists we are committed to respecting the democratic mandate of the referendum, which applied do the whole of the United Kingdom, and that was very clear.
'We, of course though, need to make sure that we assure all sectors of the economy and all regions of the United Kingdom, which is why the Prime Minister is up in Scotland today in the first of a series of visits around the Union.'
He added: 'The mandate certainly wasn't to leave the EU if the EU let us, it was an in out referendum, and we made clear, those on the campaign, that we should strive for a good deal but, if that wasn't available, that we should go on and make a success of Brexit.'
A study by the Institute for Government today warns that Mr Johnson would have to impose direct rule in Northern Ireland after a No Deal Brexit because of the scale of the decisions required to be taken in the province, where the power-sharing assembly is suspended.
Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill warned ministers this year that such a move could lead to demands for a referendum on Irish unification and another poll on Scottish independence.
Mr Johnson has insisted that Brexit will reduce support for Scottish nationalism as the SNP would have to accept the euro to join the EU.
Today's £300million announcement provides funding for 'growth deals' in a areas including Falkirk, Argyll and Bute, south-west Northern Ireland, the Causeway coast and mid-Wales.
The money is for such things as housing, transport, training and green growth.
Meanwhile, Britain's largest business group has warned Britain and the EU are both unprepared for a No Deal Brexit.
The CBI, a staunch opponent of No Deal, has claimed that neither side is ready for October 31 and urged both London and Brussels to step up efforts to strike a deal.
The organisation predicted that 24 of 27 areas of the UK economy would experience disruption.
Josh Hardie, the CBI's deputy director general, today compared No Deal to an approaching storm that would wreak destruction.
He told the Today programme: 'If you see a storm coming, you put down the sandbags. It doesn't mean you're going to stop all the flood water, you'll probably still lose the kitchen but you might save the bedroom and that's where we are right now.
He added: 'A deal is absolutely essential if we're to manage the economy in the best way that we can'.
Dominic Raab, pictured walking into Downing Street today, has warned the EU they are 'not the only game in town' for trade deals
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News Photo Boris Johnson holds Brexit talks with Nicola Sturgeon in Scotland
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