Exclusive:Angus Robertson: Everyone asks about Scottish independence when I'm overseas
The SNP External Affairs Secretary said he was asked about the constitution ‘all the time’
A senior SNP minister criticised for promoting independence abroad has said he gets asked about Scotland's constitutional future "all the time" while overseas.
Angus Robertson said people are "hugely interested" in the issue and “unsurprisingly” he shares his views with them. Asked who raises independence, whether ambassadors or business leaders, he replied: “Everyone.”
Mr Robertson, the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture Secretary, has been attacked by rivals for discussing independence while on government business overseas.
The previous UK Tory government even tried to “censor” SNP ministers by issuing new guidelines to diplomats.
Speaking to The Scotsman, Mr Robertson said the constitution was not the focus of such visits. He said the last time he was in Scandinavia it was to talk about the Scottish screen sector, while in Germany the focus was hydrogen and in France it was to promote Scottish food and drink exports.
"But people are hugely interested in Scotland and the direction of travel in Scotland, so I get asked about it all the time - and unsurprisingly I share my view that I think Scotland's best future is as an independent country, and a member state of the European Union,” he said.
Mr Robertson added: "The Scottish Government is in favour of Scottish independence and I am always standing up for the record of the Scottish Government and our desire to rejoin the European Union.
"But in terms of the work of the international network, its focus is on promoting the devolved functions of the Scottish Government, and I think they do it extremely successfully."
Scottish Conservative MSP Stephen Kerr said: “Angus Robertson appears incapable of separating his personal obsession with independence from the day job. Every trip abroad becomes another taxpayer-funded opportunity for him to indulge the SNP’s constitutional fixation.
“If foreign diplomats and politicians are genuinely asking about independence, it’s not out of enthusiasm – it’s out of concern about the chaos and uncertainty the SNP would unleash.
“Scotland’s reputation overseas should be built on our innovation, our enterprise and our contribution to the United Kingdom – not on Angus Robertson’s nationalist vanity project.”
Liberal Democrat MSP Willie Rennie said: “Perhaps everyone across the world knows now what we have known for years - Angus Robertson cares about nothing, but his obsession with independence. Wouldn't it be better if they were to ask about a world-class health or education system? But they don't because the SNP are failing on both."
Rivals have dubbed Mr Robertson “Air Miles Angus” due to his overseas trips. Asked about the nickname, the minister dismissed it as “playground politics”.
He said: "Well, I don't collect air miles, point one. And I think I probably travel a lot less frequently than some of those people exercising criticism.
"But I'm proud of Scottish Government Cabinet secretaries and ministers operating internationally to promote Scotland. I will wear that [as] a badge of honour, that I do travel to promote Scotland and its international network.
"If people lack so much imagination that they are reduced to name calling, I think it says more about the playground politics being exercised by those [people]."
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