CIVIL servants with “nationalist sympathies” are undermining the work of Tory ministers in the Scotland Office, a Labour lord has claimed.
George Foulkes said a “Conservative source” had told him the work of Alister Jack, Malcolm Offord, and John Lamont – the three Scotland Office ministers – was being undermined.
The Labour politician said that the head of the Civil Service – Simon Case – “should step in”.
The Scotland Office declined to comment on his allegations.
Foulkes had written on Twitter: “A Conservative source tells me that Scotland Office ministers are being undermined by civil servants with nationalist sympathies. The head of the Civil Service should step in.”
A Conservative source tells me that Scotland Office Ministers are being undermined by civil servants with Nationalist sympathies. The head of the Civil Service should step in.
— George Foulkes (@GeorgeFoulkes) July 12, 2023
The targeting of unnamed civil servants echoes attacks launched by Tory politicians and ministers on the "blob", a byword for the service.
Case said on Wednesday that such language was "insulting, dehumanising, [and] totally unacceptable".
Foulkes's claims come after confusion surrounded whether or not staff in the Scotland Office, working under Advocate General Keith Stewart KC, would be probing the Scottish Government’s spending in reserved areas.
Last week, Foulkes made public an email from Stewart, the UK’s top law officer for Scotland, which seemed to explicitly say there was a probe ongoing.
But sources in the Scotland Office, which handles Stewart’s communications, categorically denied to multiple news outlets that any such investigation exists.
Foulkes told The National that he did not know who was issuing the denials from the Scotland Office, but added: “I understand they are not doing it with the authority of ministers.”
Asked if there was any news on the possible probe, the Scotland Office said its position was unchanged.
Last week, their official line was: “It is up to the Scottish Government how it spends its record block grant in devolved areas.
“We have been consistently clear that we think that the priority for people in Scotland is halving inflation, tackling the NHS waiting times, ensuring energy security, and growing our economy across the whole of UK.”
However, any investigation would specifically be into money spent in reserved areas such as the constitution, not devolved areas.
Foulkes, and other Unionist politicians, have taken particular exception to Jamie Hepburn’s appointment as a Minister for Independence in the Scottish Government led by Humza Yousaf.
Cryptically, the Labour peer wrote on social media minutes before his claim about nationalist civil servants: "The spending on a so-called Minister for Independence and entourage is illegal and must be stopped.
"If the UK Government does not act I have a further opportunity to pursue this soon."
