Nicola Sturgeon's handling of the coronavirus pandemic has earned her praises in the polls in Scotland. An opinium poll in January showed Ms Sturgeon was the only UK leader with a positive approval rating.

Many in Scotland see her approach to tackling Covid-19 as more assured and confident than Boris Johnson's, according to Alan Cochrane, a columnist for the The Telegraph and former Scottish Editor. Her early, decisive actions to suppress coronavirus in Scotland have painted her in good light, compared to Boris Johnson's repeated u-turns. This contrast, he argues, has led many more to believe she could lead an independent Scotland.

With the May elections on the horizon and a promise of a second independence referendum, Nicola Sturgeon's popularity might boost the chances of a Union breakup. But, as Alan Cochrane argues, there is still no date set for said referendum, so there is still a long way to go.

Watch the video above to see his full analysis.

Read more on Boris Johnson's trip to Scotland here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2021/01/28/boris-johnson-scotland-lockdown-end-brexit-news-latest/

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