BORIS JOHNSON was challenged to visit former mining villages and repeat his “joke” about the devastation of the coal pit closures programme today, following his disastrous visit to Scotland this week.

Speaking to reporters during a wind farm visit on Thursday, the Prime Minister claimed that Margaret Thatcher gave Britain a “big early start” in the fight against climate change when she closed coal mines around the country.

Mr Johnson was heavily criticised for the comment, which came after he was asked whether he would set a deadline for ending fossil fuel extraction as a row continues over a proposed oil and gas development in the North Sea.