Rishi Sunak received a brutal grilling from a Scottish journalist last week, and the clip has now gone viral online.

On a visit to Scotland, the prime minister met with Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon as tensions over the country’s constitutional future (and it’s gender recognition reform bill) continue to bubble away in the background.

In November, the Supreme Court ruled that the Scottish government did not have the legal power to hold its own referendum on whether Scotland should leave the UK.

Sturgeon has since said that she would instead make the next general election a “de facto referendum” – so votes for her (or her party the SNP) would effectively be votes for independence.

During their tense interview on Friday morning, STV’s political editor Colin Mackay asked Sunak: ″Would you accept the result of that de facto referendum?”

″What I’m focused on is delivering for the people of Scotland,” Sunak began. “Today’s announcement –”

“That’s not what I’m asking you,” Mackay cut him off. “I’m asking you about the possibility of a de facto referendum at the next general election, which the first minister proposed.”

Sunak just said that he and the first minister of Scotland did not talk about the next general election during their meeting on Thursday night.

Mackay asked again: “You’re completely ignoring my question, which is about the possibility of the next general election being a de facto referendum.

″Would you accept the outcome of that?”

“What I’m focused on,” Sunak said, but was cut off once again.

Mackay replied: “That’s not what I’m asking you, I’m asking you to focus on this because a lot of people in Scotland are very interested in this, would you accept the outcome of a de facto referendum?”

The PM said: ″Do you know what, I’ve been out all of yesterday evening, I’ve been out all of today, and what people are talking to me about is what we are doing to actually make their lives better.”

″So you’re just not going to talk about what they’re talking about?” Mackay pushed. “You’re just going to ignore my question about Scotland’s constitutional future, is that what you’re doing? You clearly are.”

“When it comes to a general election people will make up their own minds on what they want to vote on,” Sunak said. ″It’s not really for me to talk about that.”

“Well it is because that’s what I’m asking you about. ”

The STV journalist then asked Sunak if he was “ignoring democracy”.

“No, absolutely not, what we are doing is delivering for people here in Scotland,” the prime minister replied.

“Obviously the Scottish government tried to put forward something which the Supreme Court said was not appropriate, I respect the decision of the Supreme Court.

“In the here and now, I think what the people in Scotland want is for us to make a difference to their lives.”

McKay added: “So, they have no democratic right to express their own opinion in the Scottish future.”

Sunak repeated that he respects the view of the Supreme Court, adding that the two free ports being unveiled in Scotland will bring “jobs, investment and opportunity” to the regions.

Writing for STV after their meeting, Mackay said Sunak dodged some of his questions “as skilfully as some of his predecessors, and much better than he did before he was prime minister”.

Mackay also noted: “What was notable was he was much more open to media access than some of his predecessors, and that really is progress.”