SNP ministers should have seat at Brexit talks, says Tory MEP

SNP ministers should have a seat at the Brexit negotiating table, the Scotland Office minister-to-be has said.

In a surprising intervention ahead of his formal confirmation as David Mundell’s deputy, Ian Duncan seemed open to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s demands for a more inclusive approach to the UK Government’s talks about leaving the European Union.

Mr Duncan, who is poised to quit as an MEP and be installed in the House of Lords so he can become a UK minister despite not winning Perth and North Perthshire in the general election, was asked on the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland if Ms Sturgeon or her Brexit minister Mike Russell should have a seat at the negotiating table.

He replied: “Yep. I have no problem with that. I think that should be a common approach to all the home nations so they can see exactly what is going on.

“But more importantly, they need to make sure they have a seat at the discussion point in London when these positions are being hammered out because that’s where the detail will be determined, not actually inside the room.

“That’s true of the European Council meetings right now.”

Speaking during a visit to Strathclyde University’s research centre, Ms Sturgeon said it was “troubling” that the UK Government had “no authority and no clear idea even amongst its own ranks of what it’s trying to achieve” as the negotiations began.

And she warned that a failure to pursue the “common-sense” objective of keeping the UK in the single market would put jobs, investment and living standards “on the line”.

She said: “Let’s have a more inclusive approach and an approach that focuses on keeping the UK within the single market.”

Scottish Labour MEP Catherine Stihler, rector of St Andrews University, said there should be a “way and a mechanism” for the UK Government to consult with the devolved nations on the Brexit talks.