A Guest Post by DM Jack.
Daniel was Scotland’s most senior diplomat at the UN before retiring.
A few weeks ago Foreign Secretary James Cleverly published the contents a letter which he had written to all British Ambassadors and Heads of Mission. In it he set out new ground rules for handling visits to their host nations by Scottish Government Ministers. In brief, the message was “under no circumstances let these people out of your sight when on your turf, shadow them everywhere and don’t let them use the ‘I’ word, independence.” It was of course couched in more diplomatic language, but that was the gist.
Job done, his approach received a well timed (and probably pre-arranged) fillip in the form of over the top comments by Lord Frost, erstwhile UK Ambassador to Denmark and architect (with sincere apologies to real architects) of the disastrous Brexit settlement. And that, as far as we could tell, was that. The wheels of government and diplomacy trundled on.
Except it wasn’t. Fast forward to Humza Yousaf’s meeting in London with the Prime Minister on 24 April. Nothing unexpected happened, a 20 minute non-event really. But during that brief trip something very powerful did actually happen, it’s just that many observers haven’t fully grasped its full significance.
On the evening of 25 April, the German Ambassador, HE Miguel Berger, hosted a dinner for Humza Yousaf at his residence in Belgrave Square. Some of the Ambassador’s colleagues from the diplomatic community also attended but, pointedly, no UK Government representative had been invited. Ambassadors are no different from the rest of us, you only invite people into your home whom you want to be there and clearly, on this occasion a UK face at the table wouldn’t have been considered appropriate. After the event probably some poor sod from the British Embassy in Berlin was dispatched to the German Federal Foreign Office to register “surprise” (“annoyance” in non-diplomatic speak) at the Ambassador’s choice of guest of honour. And doubtless the Germans listened politely and did nothing about it.
Coming so soon after Cleverly’s clumsy intervention, what are we to read into this event? Just a dinner, a chance to get to know each other or something more meaningful perhaps?
Well it sends two powerful messages. The first, to James Cleverly and the FCDO, is that “you don’t get to tell us who we can and cannot meet and under what conditions meetings can take place.” No longer a member of the EU club, what the UK says won’t always be heeded if it is not deemed in the best interests of the EU. EU member states will make up their own minds, thank you very much
Secondly, and more importantly for those of us who believe in independence and the justness of our cause, the clear message is “we will listen to you”. Now those with whom we engage may not agree with what we say, but there is a willingness to listen. That is something we ought to exploit to maximum effect. And of course that is why engaging with partners on the international stage forms a key plank of Alba’s independence strategy.
Things are coming along nicely, sorry James…
This may prove of interest:
Using just old fashioned “track and sign” postal services, individually signed “Declarations of Sovereign Scots” have been sent to the HQ of the United Nations since early 2021 – batch after batch – totally securely and wholly uninterrupted.
With my last letter to the Secretary General of the United Nations, (27th of March 2023), advising: ” Please note that contact with individual Member States within the United Nations will begin shortly.” Again the committment of Sovereign Scots to their country’s freedom will be communicated – continuously but without hindrance nor interference – simply using the post.
This is really powerful good news . It reinstates hope that our cause is supported more than we may realise.
I met a friend this week who now lives in Austria. He told me that UK plc and particularly UK government has no standing in Austria now at all.
We, the UK are seen as a banana monarchy.
Without the bananas!
It’s good that the Germans stuck two fingers up to the Brits.
It’s just a pity that their reward was spending an evening with Humza the Half-Wit, First Minion of Scotland.
Well said, DM Jack.
I think it’s fair to say England has lost a lot of good will from other nations ever since it voted to leave the EU [dragging Scotland out with it] so it makes a great deal of sense for Scotland to take advantage of the situation by reminding everyone, not just in Europe, that Scotland most definitely isnae England.
The prescient phrase “our gallant allies in Europe” comes to mind.
An extremely interesting piece. Good to know that EU countries are keeping a watchful eye on the promised return of an independent Scotland.
It’s a very interesting article. Sadly, I don’t know if anyone in the current SNP leadership has the wit to build on it.
I agree, they are clueless.