New PM Sunak to meet Douglas Ross to ‘discuss Union strategy reset’ ahead of Scotland visit
RISHI Sunak plans a visit to Scotland in the “next few weeks” and will hold a meeting with Douglas Ross in Number 10 tomorrow to discuss refreshing the strategy on the Union.
The Prime Minister phoned First Minister Nicola Sturgeon within hours of his appointment last Tuesday telling her he wants to work constructively with her government.
His prompt phone call and desire for a more positive engagement was seen as signalling a desire for a more collaborative approach from the new Prime Minister towards Scotland.
It followed the turmoil of Boris Johnson’s and Liz Truss’s careers in Downing Street and a planned return to greater co-operation advised by Michael Gove when he had ministerial responsibility for the Union.
During the Conservative leadership election in the summer, Ms Truss described Ms Sturgeon as an “attentionseeker” who was best ignored. Mr Sunak was critical of her comments.
It is also understood the new PM wants to work more closely with the Scottish Conservatives after relations soured under Mr Johnson, regarded by many in the party as toxic north of the Border.
Mr Ross’s relationship with the former Prime Minister, who stood down in September, deteriorated after the Scottish Tory leader became the first senior Conservative MP to call for him to resign over the partygate scandal. He later withdrew his demand following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but the relationship did not fully recover.
“The Prime Minister is hoping to visit Scotland in the next few weeks,” a senior Conservative source told The Herald on Sunday.
“But he is newly in the job, got tonnes on his plate, so there hasn’t been a date fixed as such. But it is the intention. He said to Douglas he wants to come up as soon as it is feasible.”
The source added: “They are having a meeting in Downing Street on Monday.
“It is a sign that the Prime Minister really wants to engage and is aware of the significance of the constitutional issue. They’ll be looking at a strategy of how to approach the constitutional issue and how to be as constructive as he can with the Scottish Government.
“We are conscious of not wanting to give the SNP any opportunities to say ‘the UK Government is being unreasonable’ because, we feel, the First Minister likes this grievance narrative.
“We are looking to be as reasonable and open as we can, while clearly disagreeing on the central issue [of the constitution]. But we want to engage.”
No date has yet been arranged for Mr Sunak to meet the First Minister
It is possible the new Prime Minister may meet Ms Sturgeon for the first time at a meeting of the Prime Minister and heads of the devolved governments’ council before the end of the year.
The council was established in January to help improve intergovernmental working across Britain and Northern Ireland.
It is chaired by the Prime Minister and made up of heads of the devolved governments.
The council is tasked with overseeing and strengthen relations among all of the UK’s governments. They discuss issues that affect people across the UK, particularly where they cut across reserved and devolved policy – or are of shared responsibility.
Mr Johnson chaired the first meeting of the council in January, which was attended by Ms Sturgeon, the First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford, the then-Northern Ireland First Minister Paul Givan and the then-Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, Michelle O’Neill.
If a devolved government has not been re-established in Belfast by the time of the council meeting, a senior government official representing Northern Ireland would attend the meeting instead.