NEW files from the UK and Scottish Governments have shed light on confusion around talks on a second independence referendum allegedly agreed to by No 10.
After the Holyrood elections in May, First Minister John Swinney and then-prime minister Keir Starmer had a phone call after which the Scottish Government announced there would be talks about a second independence vote.
"The First Minister is pleased that the Prime Minister reached out to congratulate him on his emphatic election win and that the Prime Minister stressed his willingness to work in collaboration with the Scottish Government where possible,” a spokesperson for the Scottish Government said. “It is particularly welcome that the Prime Minister agreed to meet next month to discuss a referendum on independence.”
However, Downing Street then said that Starmer had “committed to meeting to discuss shared issues, including the cost of living”, not a second referendum.
The National submitted Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to the UK and Scottish Governments which shed light on how the two leaders came away from the phone call with apparently different understandings of what had been said.
They suggest that Starmer offered a meeting directly after Swinney raised the issue of an independence referendum, leading to the confusion around what that meeting would be about.
Minutes of the phone call released by the Cabinet Office state:
- "Congrats and will continue to work well together / flag issues directly as needed.
- "SFM raised cost of living (including food items) and pro independence aspirations.
- "PM v clear we do not support independence or another referendum as set out in manifesto.
- "Agreed to meet in June to with FMs and have a 1:1 to have a proper discussion (SFM v supportive).
- "SFM welcomed [the removal of US] whisky tariffs."
On the Scottish Government side, the First Minister’s principal private secretary, John Webster, emailed senior advisers with a run-down of the call with the prime minister after it took place.
Webster wrote: “The Prime Minister called the First Minister this evening and congratulated him on his election victory. He assured the First Minister of his willingness to work collaboratively wherever possible.
“The First Minister thanked him and made clear his commitment to tackle the cost of living, including through a statutory cap on the price of essential grocery items in large supermarkets. The First Minister highlighted the potential relevance of the Internal Market Act in this respect.
“The First Minister set out the majority of MSPs were elected on a commitment for a referendum on independence and that this number was now at record levels. He highlighted comments by MSPs from the Prime Minister’s party in support of the need for a way to resolve this question.
“The Prime Minister and the First Minister agreed to a face-to-face meeting next month to discuss these issues, ahead of a meeting of the leaders of all four UK nations. Dates will now be agreed.”
Webster added: “The meeting concluded by agreeing that the recent decision of the US government to lift tariffs on Scotch whisky was one that everyone could celebrate.”
The new prime minister, Andy Burnham, has made clear that he will not discuss a second independence referendum, telling Swinney during a meeting in July that such a vote was “off limits”.
Burnham has also said that a referendum on Irish unity is “off the table”, drawing allegations of ignoring the Good Friday Agreement, that says a vote should be called if it looks likely that a majority of people would support reunification.
