Boris Johnson has reportedly blocked a plan to invite Nicola Sturgeon to attend UK cabinet meetings.
The idea was floated by cabinet office minister Michael Gove as a way of dampening support for Scottish independence by showing that Holyrood was being listened to at Westminster on issues regarding Scotland.
"He (Johnson) doesn’t like the idea of Sturgeon being seen as on the same political level as him”, a UK Government source told the Financial Times.
The Prime Minister previously told his top team to be more visible north of the Border to promote the work of Westminster in helping the lives of ordinary Scots.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak was in Ayrshire last week while Johnson made a flying visit to Orkney last month.
Asked about Johnson's comments at her daily media briefing today, Sturgeon said: "I don't know if that proposal is accurate or not.
"There is a value to good quality four nation discussions and we've had some of them during this crisis.
"Whether that is about me, or Mark Drakeford, or Arlene Foster attending UK cabinet meetings, we clearly we couldn't be bound by overall collective responsibility as we are not part of that government.
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"I'm less bothered about the form and more bothered about having discussions that are meaningful where we listen to each other and try to come to common ways forward.
"And there have been some very good examples of that in recent times."
On Wednesday the UK Government opened a new hub in Edinburgh, which Scottish secretary Alister Jack claimed "epitomised" its support for the Union.
Queen Elizabeth House, which is located near Waverley Station, will become the office for approximately 3,000 UK Government workers, with civil servants from 11 departments to be based at the new building from September.
On his visit with Advocate General for Scotland Richard Keen QC and MPs Iain Stewart and David Duguid, the Secretary of State said the new site is part of a wider strategy aimed at increasing the UK Government's visibility north of the border.
Westminster has been concerned by several polls which have found support for Scottish independence rising during lockdown, while Sturgeon's personal approval ratings have also soared.
Earlier this week the Prime Minister defended “the magic” union between England and Scotland ahead of a planned holiday north of the border.
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The prime minister said Britain’s four-nation bond was one “admired and loved around the world”, amid polling putting support for Scottish independence at 54%.
The comments came as it was confirmed Mr Johnson, his fiancée Carrie Symonds and their son Wilfred would be travelling to Scotland for a “staycation” next week.