- Cameron threatens Scottish ministers
- Accusations of protocol violation
- SNP leader deems it “petty”
David Cameron has been labelled “petty” and “misguided” by Humza Yousaf. This is regarding his threat to withdraw British support for Scottish ministers’ overseas travels.
The initial minister responded to the foreign secretary’s assertions that he violated protocols. This occurred when meeting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan without a British representative.
SNP Leader Disregards Criticism
Criticism from an “unelected lord” was disregarded by the SNP leader.
Lord Cameron has also threatened to shut down Scottish embassies in the United Kingdom.
Ministers neglected to provide “sufficient advance notice” of the meeting with Mr. Erdogan at COP28 in the United Arab Emirates, according to a letter to the Scottish government from the former prime minister, who rejoined the cabinet as foreign secretary last month.
While the UK government retains jurisdiction over foreign affairs, devolved administrations are granted the authority to handle devolved competencies internationally.
Mr. Yousaf stated that the Turkish president’s team had rescheduled the meeting at the last minute. Still, he had “no problem” with the presence of any British government official, including Lord Cameron.
A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) “opted not to accompany the Scottish delegation throughout the day, which ultimately resulted in their absence from the meeting,” he said, adding that a representative from the United Kingdom had attended “the overwhelming majority” of the discussions he facilitated at the climate summit.
The first minister said this meeting’s agenda didn’t repeat past topics. These topics include the Israel-Gaza conflict and the climate crisis.
He cautioned that Scotland’s economy would suffer if the FCDO withdrew support for the Scottish government overseas.
Mr. Yousaf told reporters that it is incredibly petty and misguided for Lord Cameron to essentially halt Scotland’s international engagement over one meeting where one FCDO official could not attend — diaries can alter at the last minute, of course — is what he meant.
Scottish Embassies Face Closure Threat
If Lord Cameron finds himself in a similar situation, he should call.I am confident that it can be resolved.
Further “facilitation of meetings or logistical support” by the FCDO for the Scottish government would be revoked in the event of “further breaches” of protocol, the foreign secretary warned in his letter, adding that he would also contemplate the placement of Scottish government offices in UK government positions.
Breaches of Protocol and Warning from Foreign Secretary
A spokesperson for the United Kingdom government stated, “Foreign affairs are reserved under the Scotland Act, and in these turbulent times, it is more important than ever for the United Kingdom to speak with one consistent voice on the international stage.”
James Cleverly, foreign secretary, made a similar warning after Mr. Yousaf’s August meeting with the Icelandic prime minister. The meeting once again took place in the absence of British diplomats.
However, according to a UK government source, this latest intervention constituted an “escalation” of the situation, and the foreign secretary wished to adopt a “harder line” than Mr Cleverly.
Mr. Yousaf announced on X, formerly Twitter, that during their 1 December meeting, he and Mr. Erdogan, as well as the prime minister of Lebanon, discussed the Israel-Gaza conflict and the climate crisis.
He stated that he had issued a ceasefire request for the region immediately. This inconsistency in the position of the United Kingdom government has the foreign office particularly concerned.
A source for the Scottish government described Lord Cameron’s letter as a “gross exaggeration,” adding, “It is difficult to request the president to wait a moment while we locate our chaperone.”
The FCDO representative was “extremely late” to two summit sessions, but that’s “the nature of fast-paced things like COP.”
