THE Scottish Secretary has insisted that “nothing has gone wrong” with the Union Unit, despite it losing two bosses in two weeks and its role at the head of Downing Street’s anti-Scottish independence strategy.
Appearing on Good Morning Scotland, Alister Jack insisted that the downgrading and replacing of the Union Unit was “very good news”.
In what the SNP described as “utterly humiliating” for the Prime Minister, the beleaguered unit will be replaced at the helm of pro-Union strategic decision making by a Cabinet committee.
It follows the firing of Luke Graham, and two weeks later the resignation of Oliver Lewis, from the unit's lead role.
The replacement committee will feature a raft of top Tories, including the Prime Minister, Michael Gove, Rishi Sunak, and the unelected former Brexit negotiator David Frost.
It will also feature the Secretaries of State for Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales, Alister Jack, Brandon Lewis, and Simon Hart respectively.
READ MORE: Boris Johnson's Union Unit downgraded and replaced in No10 strategy change
The Union Unit has not been scrapped. Instead it seems it will be tasked with advising and carrying out the decisions of the Cabinet committee.
Jack this morning told the BBC that this represented a “step up” for Downing Street’s Union strategy.
He said: “This is a very good news story. This is a step up. Advisers advise and ministers decide. This is a ministerial Cabinet committee which the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer will be sitting on, along with the Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland, Wales, and Scotland.
“It’s very good news that that level of focus on strengthening the United Kingdom is at that high level of government.”
Asked how Westminster planned to strengthen the Union beyond “throwing money at it”, Jack cited the extra funding Scotland received from the Treasury to fight Covid, as well as testing facilities and the vaccination programme.
The top Tory also cited the Levelling Up Fund, which was yesterday branded a “naked power grab” after it became clear that Westminster would use it to spend in devolved areas, rather than pass Barnett consequentials to Holyrood.
READ MORE: SNP hit out at 'naked power grab' by Tories looking to spend in devolved areas
Asked what had “gone wrong” with the Union Unit in order to warrant its replacement, Jack said: “Nothing’s gone wrong with it at all. It’s not about, this is not about the people sitting behind the desks. This is about all of the senior advisers in No10 and the ministers across Whitehall focusing on strengthening the United Kingdom.”
He added: “The Union Unit has been replaced ... It has been replaced by a Cabinet committee chaired by the Prime Minister.”
Asked if that meant the unit hadn’t been fit for purpose, Jack again insisted it was a “step up”. He said the Union Unit was “obviously about Scotland, but also about Wales and Northern Ireland and England and the regions of England that we feel we need to focus more on and spend more money on”.
He went on: “It’s absolutely the right thing to do. The PM wants to build back better, he wants to strengthen the United Kingdom, and this Cabinet committee will be doing that.”
The SNP have disputed Jack’s narrative, saying the Tory government is clearly in “disarray”.
The party's deputy leader at Westminster, Kirsten Oswald MP (above), reiterated calls for the Prime Minister to reveal exactly how much taxpayer cash had been "wasted" on the Union Unit.
She said: "This is utterly humiliating for Boris Johnson. The only thing his failed Union Unit has delivered has been a sacking, a resignation and now its reported collapse within a matter of weeks.
READ MORE: Independence supported by majority of Scots, 22nd consecutive poll shows
"The entire shambolic episode is the perfect analogy for the Tory government's undemocratic anti-independence stance - crumbling under the first sign of any pressure.
"The reality is that no amount of rebranding or merging can take away from the fact the Tories are in turmoil and their anti-independence campaign in disarray.
"However, the reported collapse raises serious questions over how much of the taxpayers' money Boris Johnson has wasted on the Union Unit - with the public footing the bill for the six figure salaries of a number of advisors. The public have a right to know how their money is being spent - Boris Johnson must come clean.
"Twenty-one [now 22] consecutive polls have now shown a majority for independence. People in Scotland have the right to decide what sort of country we should be after the pandemic.
"With both votes SNP in May, we can ensure Scotland's future is in Scotland's hands - not Boris Johnson's."
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel