Yousaf dismisses claims foreign consuls ‘uncomfortable’ in independence talks

The First Minister rejected the suggested from Scottish Secretary Alister Jack earlier this week.

Michael Gove, left, and First Minister Humza Yousaf at the British-Irish Council summit (Andrew Matthews/PA) (PA Wire)

Humza Yousaf has dismissed claims that Scottish ministers make foreign government officials “uncomfortable” when discussing constitutional issues.

The First Minister said discussions are “quite the opposite” to what was claimed by Scottish Secretary Alister Jack earlier this week amid a row over foreign affairs.

The UK Government has instructed officials to ensure its representatives are present for talks between Scottish ministers and overseas governments, with Mr Jack telling the Scottish Affairs Committee on Monday that foreign ambassadors “find it uncomfortable” when issues like independence are tabled.

But speaking at the British-Irish Council summit in Jersey on Friday, the First Minister said that was “not the characterisation that I would use by any stretch of the imagination, quite the opposite”.

He added: “Whenever I’m engaged with foreign governments, ambassadors, with ministers, with heads of state, there’s been a really warm approach to Scotland.

“I think for me, it’s so important that when we are here on the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, we remind ourselves of the importance of devolution, but also, frankly, the fragility of devolution.”

Mr Yousaf met with the heads of states of Wales, Ireland and the Channel Island nations, as well as Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove, at the summit.

His conversations with the UK Government minister, he said, were “robust” in relation to his concerns about the “erosion of devolution”.

But he added: “I think it’s really important that we keep the engagement, the dialogue going, but Michael certainly knows my reservations and my concerns around the pattern of behaviour that we have seen recently around the erosion of devolution.”

Mr Gove sat beside Mr Yousaf, who was attending his first British-Irish Council summit, during a press conference following the talks.

Asked whether the pair had a chance to resolve the conflict between the two governments, Mr Gove said: “We didn’t touch on that issue, but we had an informal chat within ourselves and we had a chance to talk one-on-one this morning.

“The First Minister brought up a number of issues, and I think it’s fair to say that both of us, both governments, are committed to working together in the interests of the people of Scotland.”

He acknowledged there are issues of contention which “I’m very happy to defend issue by issue wherever possible”.

Following the press conference, Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford told the PA news agency that his Government has in the last four years seen “continual incursions into responsibilities that lie at the devolved level”.

The Welsh Labour leader added: “You see the UK Government wanting to claw back powers, claw back money, take responsibility for things which they have no constitutional responsibility, and we badly need to reset that relationship.”