Sturgeon accused of using summit to plug Indyref2
NICOLA Sturgeon has been accused of using Cop26 to further her obsession with independence despite telling world leaders to put politics aside.
As leaders including US President Joe Biden touched down in Scotland, Miss Sturgeon carried out a series of media engagements – even appearing on US television.
However, she was criticised by opponents after a full-page newspaper advert linked Cop26 to demands for Scottish independence. A number of newspapers carried the advert from the SNP which read ‘A nation in waiting welcomes the nations of the world’.
It was published days after Miss Sturgeon claimed she would put politics aside during the summit.
Yesterday, Miss Sturgeon held a meeting with climate activist Greta Thunberg, with the First Minister admitting the discussion was ‘uncomfortable’ as she was ‘rightly challenged’ on Scotland’s efforts to fight global warming.
The tone of the meeting came in stark contrast to the SNP leader’s other engagements – where she in turn warned world leaders to leave their egos at the door and focus on saving the planet.
Throughout the day the SNP leader was photographed with various campaigners, celebrities and leaders – including a selfie with Sir David Attenborough.
But it was her meeting with Miss Thunberg and fellow climate activist Vanessa Nakate that took the prime spot in Miss Sturgeon’s diary for the day. She was spotted elbow bumping with the two young activists, and later said: ‘Those voices, including for people like me, are really uncomfortable at times because they make us confront the hard realities of our own lack of delivery.
‘But my goodness they are so important to shake the sort of gatherings that will take place in here over the next few days out of a sense of complacency that surrounds them all too often.’
Earlier in the day, Miss Sturgeon appeared on BBC Breakfast, Sky News, Good Morning Britain and CNN.
Miss Sturgeon told Sky’s Kay Burley: ‘I hope we can all put egos aside over the next few days and just work together to get the outcome we need.
‘That’s what I am committed to doing. I’ve said that to the Prime Minister, to Alok Sharma. We’ve all got a big responsibility here. It’s easy to exaggerate these things sometimes but this is literally about the future of the planet. Are we going to step up and save the planet or are we going to accept a pretty bleak outlook for humanity on this planet?’
But her comments came as her party sparked fury by placing an advert in some Scottish papers.
The advert featured an image of a Scottish landscape in sunshine with a large slogan that read: ‘A nation in waiting welcomes the nations of the world.’
A picture of Miss Sturgeon and her signature also appeared on the advert, together with the words: ‘Scotland helped lead the world into the industrial age. Now we’re proud to help lead the world into the net zero age.’
Scottish Tory constitution spokesman Donald Cameron said: ‘This advert is disappointing but very predictable.
‘Even when world leaders are in Glasgow to focus on the future of the planet, the first instinct of the SNP is to push their divisive independence obsession.
‘No matter how big the issue, the SNP just can’t help themselves – they always focus on trying to break up the United Kingdom.’
An SNP spokesman said: ‘The SNP is proud to be delivering global leadership on tackling the climate emergency.
‘We’ll leave others to snipe from the sidelines, we’re 100 per cent focused on creating a greener and fairer Scotland and more sustainable planet.’