Nicola Sturgeon reacts to ‘press up challenge’ between Keir Starmer and Boris Johnson

Nicola Sturgeon has reacted with exasperation to reports that Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has challenged the Prime Minister to a press up challenge at PMQs later this week.

Writing on Twitter, the First Minister shared a link to one of the reports, with the caption: “Oh for goodness sake”.

In an interview with the Mail on Sunday, Boris Johnson insisted he had made a “very full and healthy recovery” after his battle with Covid-19 last month, before doing press ups on the floor of his office for photographers.

"I'm as fit as a butcher's dog now," Mr Johnson said.

Today, the leader of the opposition was asked whether he could do more than one push up by the hosts of Good Morning Britain.

“I can,” Sir Keir replied.

“In fact I was thinking that at this week's PMQs the first question should be, you know, first to 50,” he joked.

The First Minister expressed exasperation at the news that Keir Starmer had challenged Boris Johnson to a press up challenge.

Starmer and Johnson’s weekly clashes at Prime Minister’s Questions have gained a lot of attention, as the opposition leader scrutinises the government’s record on coronavirus.

At last week’s PMQs on Wednesday, June 24, Mr Starmer said it was a “big problem” that only 10,000 of an estimated 33,000 people thought to be infected with the disease had been reached and asked to provide contact details.

When the Prime Minister claimed that the Labour leader’s figures were “misleading”, Mr Starmer replied that they came directly from a government slide from the previous day’s press conference.

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