UK refuses to give details of meetings where indy was raised

Government maintains wall of silence on talks with foreign representatives

THE UK Government is refusing to release details of any meetings involving Foreign Office officials, Scottish ministers and representatives from a foreign government where independence was discussed.

A Freedom of Information (FOI) request asking for the notes from any such meetings has been rejected, with officials saying they can “neither confirm nor deny” that the information is held.

The reasons given by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) include that it would be likely to prejudice the relations between the UK and other states or international organisations, which would in turn prejudice the “interests of the UK abroad”.

It also states that if information is released it would likely to “prejudice relations with devolved administrations”.

In comes after former first minister Nicola Sturgeon’s former chief of staff Liz Lloyd said foreign leaders have expressed their support for independence on multiple occasions – despite the presence of senior Foreign Office officials.

Lloyd said that this had included a “prominent foreign prime minister” and that official minutes would “no doubt be exchanged” between civil servants afterwards.

Her comments writing in The Times last year came after a row over Humza Yousaf meeting with international leaders at COP28.

The failure to release the information was criticised by SNP MSP Kevin Stewart, who said: “It is utterly bizarre for the UK Government to be withholding this information, it is also extremely concerning that they are specifically withholding information because it might “harm” relationships with the devolved governments.”

He described the UK Government’s FOI process as an “absolute farce”.

“It is beyond time it was reformed so the people of Scotland can truly find out what the UK Government are up to,” he added.

“All this does is beg the question – what exactly are they trying to hide?”

There has been rising tensions between the Scottish and UK Governments in recent months over meetings with foreign officials.

Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron threatened to withdraw co-operation with Scottish ministers after Yousaf met with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Cameron said it was a breach of protocol without a UK official present, but a spokesman for Yousaf said one had been invited.

In response to the row, Lloyd had claimed it was in fact foreign governments who often tried to block UK officials from attending meetings with SNP ministers.

She said: “It was other countries – not Scotland – who would suggest ways (which we rarely took up) of meeting without a UK presence.

“There was nothing underhand in these proposed conversations, no opinions expressed that the UK would not already be aware of and official minutes and informal read-outs would no doubt be exchanged between civil servants afterwards.”

Lloyd said there was a “resistance” from other countries to the idea they had to be watched while engaging with Scottish representatives and spoke of several occasions whereby UK officials were present when foreign politicians and leaders expressed support for Scottish independence.

She said: “One poor UK ambassador had to sit through a dinner in an independent-minded country where politicians of different parties spoke of their personal support for the idea of Scottish independence – not at the suggestion of the Scottish First Minister but at the invitation of their head of state.

“Another listened stoney-faced as a prominent foreign prime minister extended their best wishes to the Scottish Government in its cause.”