Alister Jack: Foreigners unhappy discussing independence with Scots ministers

Foreign officials have expressed “discomfort” when Scottish ministers discuss independence during international visits, Alister Jack has said.

The Scottish Secretary appeared before Westminster’s Scottish Affairs Committee on Monday to discuss how the UK Government promotes Scotland abroad.

However, he again defended the decision by Foreign Secretary James Cleverly to instruct UK officials to ensure Westminster representatives were present for talks between Scottish ministers and overseas governments.

A row has erupted between the two Governments, with Scottish External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson branding the comments “misleading”.

Mr Jack told MPs that one example of the “blatant breaches” came from former first minister Nicola Sturgeon who discussed constitutional issues with US deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman in Washington in 2022.

He told the committee that the foreign representative had personally told him they were not comfortable with Holyrood ministers raising the issue of separation or Scotland’s re-entry to the European Union.

He said: “Consuls of foreign countries have made this point to me directly that they find it uncomfortable when the Scottish Government raise separation, independence or other constitutional foreign affairs issues with them because they would no more want, if the French or the Spanish consul or ambassador would no more want to have to organise a meeting, or expect to organise a meeting with, say, the separatists in Catalonia or Corsica with UK Government ministers, nor would they expect us to meet with separatists from other countries.

“They understand that we are one state – the United Kingdom – and it puts them in an invidious position and it is not appreciated”.

He told Scottish Tory leader and Moray MP Douglas Ross that he had been trying to “de-escalate” the tension with the Scottish Government, however, had received “a lot of push back on it and no acknowledgement of these blatant breaches”.

“I’m trying to de-escalate it by working with the Foreign Secretary on the clear parameters whereby we can all work together constructively,” he added.

“But we can’t work together constructively when there’s someone in the room talking about independence or re-joining the EU or other approaches to foreign affairs – where we disagree.

“If we can all just stick to our brief and deal with things in the devolved space then we can all get on better together, rather than having this unnecessary tension.”

Other breaches, he said, came from Mr Robertson, who discussed Erasmus and Brexit with a French EU minister in Paris, and former minister Ivan McKee who discussed Scotland rejoining the EU during a Poland visit.

During the meeting, the Scottish Secretary was joined by Scotland Office minister Lord Offord and Foreign Office under-secretary David Rutley.

A spokesperson for the SNP responded: “Scotland’s wannabe governor general Alister Jack can perhaps convince himself that he represents the people of Scotland – but he serves in a Tory government which Scotland did not vote for, imposing upon Scotland a Brexit we overwhelmingly rejected.

“Our excellent record of attracting overseas investment, our leadership on climate change and our promotion of Scotland as an energy powerhouse all demonstrate the value of Scottish Government international engagement.

“The reality is simply that the Tories are determined to ignore the views of people in Scotland and are trying to silence the Scottish Government whatever the cost. They are demonstrating they have no interest in working in partnership but want to exert ever tightening Westminster control.

“With independence, we can get rid of these unelected Tory governments for good, and work in a partnership of equals with our neighbours on these islands and our friends across Europe and the world.”