Rishi Sunak Edinburgh: Prime Minister to visit Edinburgh today for talks with Nicola Sturgeon

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak due to meet Nicola Sturgeon in Edinburgh today

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is expected in Edinburgh on Thursday (January 12) for talks with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon – and to announce new investment in Scotland, in a bid to strengthen support for the Union.

With recent opinion polls showing increasing support for Scottish independence, the Prime Minister is set to announce two new “green” freeports near Inverness and Edinburgh during his visit, which will aim to outline the benefit that the UK brings to Scots.

However, Downing Street has not yet officially confirmed the details of Mr Sunak’s visit. According to reports in The Telegraph, Mr Sunak is expected to start late on Thursday and continue into Friday as he attempts to show the benefits of Scotland’s position in the UK, such as the potential economic boost from the Treasury-funded “green” freeports.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak last met First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at the British-Irish Council in November. Picture by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street.

Sturgeon and Sunak previously met in Blackpool for the British-Irish Council Summit on November 11, and unlike his predecessor, Liz Truss, who sparked controversy by saying that Nicola Sturgeon should "be ignored”, Mr Sunak talking to Ms Sturgeon on his first day in office in Number 10.