John Swinney has spoken with Keir Starmer and emphasized the importance of including Scottish council leaders in the Council of the Regions and Nations. This council was established by Starmer to improve the relationship between the UK Government and devolved areas. However, the first meeting held in Edinburgh excluded Scottish council leaders, causing controversy. While some English local authority leaders were present, Scottish cities were left out.
Swinney, as the only Scottish representative at the meeting, expressed that it would be appropriate to involve Scottish local authority leaders. He acknowledged the concerns raised by the SNP’s Glasgow council leader Susan Aitken and Labour’s Edinburgh council leader regarding the exclusion of Scottish cities, which could put them at a disadvantage compared to their English counterparts.
During the meeting, Swinney raised Scotland’s interests and highlighted the specific issues that are important to individual local authority leaders in Scotland. He emphasized the need to address these concerns through engagement with Scotland’s council leaders. Despite the exclusion of Sue Gray, former chief of staff to Starmer, Swinney stated that he expects to have a direct relationship with the Prime Minister to advance Scotland’s interests.
Swinney commended Starmer for his efforts to improve the relationship with Scotland after what he described as “utterly disrespectful” treatment from the previous UK government. He stressed the importance of seeing tangible results from the dialogue, such as investment in public services, infrastructure, and critical projects like carbon capture and storage for the journey to net zero.
In recent months, Swinney has criticized Starmer’s government for austerity measures but struck a more conciliatory tone after the meeting. He called for increased NHS funding and highlighted the need for investment in a CCUS facility in Aberdeenshire, which was overlooked by the UK Government. Swinney’s advocacy for these issues during the meeting was reportedly taken seriously by Starmer.
The Prime Minister expressed his commitment to investing in Scotland, including through the establishment of Great British Energy in Aberdeen. He emphasized the importance of improving living standards, creating job security, and ensuring a brighter future for the people of Scotland through strategic investments.
Overall, the meeting between Swinney and Starmer highlighted the need for collaboration, dialogue, and investment to address the concerns of Scottish council leaders and advance Scotland’s interests within the UK government.
